Method and device for performing channel access process for transmitting different types of signals in wireless access system supporting unlicensed band

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a wireless access system supporting an unlicensed band and provides methods for performing a channel access process for transmitting different types of signals, and devices supporting the same. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for transmitting different types of signals in a wireless access system supporting an unlicensed band can comprise the steps of: performing a first channel process (CAP) for transmitting a first type of signal; and transmitting a transmission burst including the first type of signal through the unlicensed band if it is determined that a serving cell (SCell) of the unlicensed band is in an idle state after performing the first CAP. At this time, at least one of first parameters for performing the first CAP can be set to be value less than that of second parameters for performing a second CAP for transmitting a second type of signal.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a wireless access system supporting an unlicensed band, and more particularly, to methods for performing a channel access procedure to transmit different types of signals, and apparatuses supporting the same.

BACKGROUND ART

Wireless access systems have been widely deployed to provide various types of communication services such as voice or data. In general, a wireless access system is a multiple access system that supports communication of multiple users by sharing available system resources (a bandwidth, transmission power, etc.) among them. For example, multiple access systems include a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, a Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) system, a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) system, an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) system, and a Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) system.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

An aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a method for efficiently transmitting and receiving data in a wireless access system supporting an unlicensed band.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a method for setting parameters for channel sensing, when different types of signals are transmitted.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a method for setting a contention window size according to the length of a transmission burst.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a method for applying a contention window size.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a method for updating a contention window size based on sensing of a base station.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a method for setting a defer period in a channel access procedure.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide apparatuses supporting the above methods.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the objects that could be achieved with the present disclosure are not limited to what has been particularly described hereinabove and the above and other objects that the present disclosure could achieve will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description.

Technical Solution

The present disclosure relates to a wireless access system supporting an unlicensed band, and more particularly, to methods for performing a channel access procedure to transmit different types of signals, and apparatuses supporting the same.

In an aspect of the present disclosure, a method for transmitting different types of signals in a wireless access system supporting an unlicensed band may include performing a first channel access procedure (CAP) for transmitting a first type of signal, and if it is determined as a result of the first CAP that a serving cell (SCell) of the unlicensed band is in an idle state, transmitting a transmission burst including the first type of signal. At least one of first parameters for performing the first CAP may be set to a smaller value than second parameters for performing a second CAP.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, a transmission node for transmitting different types of signals in a wireless access system supporting an unlicensed band may include a transmitter, a receiver, and a processor configured to transmit the different types of signals. The processor may be configured to perform a first CAP for transmitting a first type of signal by controlling the transmitter and the receiver, and if it is determined as a result of the first CAP that a serving cell (SCell) of the unlicensed band is in an idle state, to transmit a transmission burst including the first type of signal by controlling the transmitter. At least one of first parameters for performing the first CAP may be set to a smaller value than second parameters for performing a second CAP.

In the above aspects, the first type of signal may be an uplink grant signal, and the transmission burst may not include any other type of signal.

Herein, the first type of signal may be used for self-carrier scheduling.

Further, the second type of signal may include a data signal.

The first parameters may be determined to be parameters for a specific channel access priority class.

The first parameters or the second parameters may include at least two of a slot length parameter indicating a slot length during which an initial CAP is performed, a defer period parameter indicating a length of a defer period, a slot length parameter indicating a slot length during which an extended CAP is performed, a parameter indicating a minimum contention window size, and a parameter indicating a maximum contention window size.

The above-described aspects of the present disclosure are merely some parts of the embodiments of the present disclosure and various embodiments into which the technical features of the present disclosure are incorporated may be derived and understood by persons skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the present disclosure.

Advantageous Effects

Embodiments of the present disclosure have the following effects.

Firstly, data may be transmitted and received efficiently in a wireless access system supporting an unlicensed band.

Secondly, a channel access procedure may be performed more efficiently by setting different parameter values for the channel access procedure, when different types of signals are transmitted.

Thirdly, as a method for setting a contention window size according to the length of a transmission burst is provided, a channel sensing procedure may be performed efficiently.

Fourthly, as a method for applying an updated contention window size is provided, a base station may obviously determine a time of applying an updated contention window.

Fifthly, since a method for updating a contention window size based on Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest-Acknowledgment (HARQ-ACK) information of licensed band is not suitable for the characteristics of an unlicensed band, use of a method for updating a contention window size based on sensing of a base station may lead to operations suitable for the characteristics of the unlicensed band.

Sixthly, as a defer period is set for a channel access procedure, even though a channel is determined to be in a busy state for a short time in the channel access procedure, a previous channel access procedure may resume rather than a new channel access procedure is performed unconditionally. Therefore, a transmission burst may be transmitted more rapidly in an unlicensed band.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the effects that can be achieved with the present disclosure are not limited to what has been particularly described hereinabove and other advantages of the present disclosure will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the disclosure. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating physical channels and a signal transmission method using the physical channels;

FIG. 2 is a view illustrating exemplary radio frame structures;

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating an exemplary resource grid for the duration of a downlink slot;

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating an exemplary structure of an uplink subframe;

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating an exemplary structure of a downlink subframe;

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) formats 1a and 1b in a normal Cyclic Prefix (CP) case, and FIG. 7 is a view illustrating PUCCH formats 1a and 1b in an extended CP case;

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating PUCCH format 2/2a/2b in the normal CP case, and FIG. 9 is a view illustrating PUCCH format 2/2a/2b in the extended CP case;

FIG. 10 is a view illustrating Acknowledgment/Negative Acknowledgment (ACK/NACK) channelization for PUCCH formats 1a and 1b;

FIG. 11 is a view illustrating channelization for a hybrid structure of PUCCH format 1a/1b and PUCCH format 2/2a/2b in the same Physical Resource Block (PRB);

FIG. 12 is a view illustrating a PRB allocation method;

FIG. 13 is a view illustrating exemplary Component Carriers (CCs) and exemplary Carrier Aggregation (CA) in a Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A) system, which are used in embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14 is a view illustrating a subframe structure based on cross-carrier scheduling in the LTE-A system, which is used in embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 15 is a view illustrating an exemplary configuration of serving cells according to cross-carrier scheduling used in embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 16 is a view illustrating an exemplary new PUCCH format based on block spreading;

FIG. 17 is a view illustrating an exemplary configuration of a Resource Unit (RB) with time-frequency units;

FIG. 18 is a view illustrating an exemplary method for resource allocation and retransmission in asynchronous Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ);

FIG. 19 is a conceptual view illustrating a Coordinated Multi-Point (CoMP) system operating in a CA environment;

FIG. 20 is a view illustrating an exemplary subframe to which User Equipment (UE)-specific Reference Signals (RSs) (UE-RSs) are allocated, which may be used in embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 21 is a view illustrating an exemplary multiplexing of a legacy Physical Downlink Channel (PDCCH), a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH), and an Enhanced PDCCH (E-PDCCH) in the LTE/LTE-A system;

FIG. 22 is a view illustrating an exemplary CA environment supported in an LTE-Unlicensed (LTE-U) system;

FIG. 23 is a view illustrating an exemplary Frame Based Equipment (FBE) operation as one of Listen-Before-Talk (LBT) operations;

FIG. 24 is a block diagram illustrating the FBE operation;

FIG. 25 is a view illustrating an exemplary Load Based Equipment (LBE) operation as one of the LBT operations;

FIG. 26 is a view illustrating an operation for transmitting an ACK/NACK signal for an uplink transmission in the LTE/LTE-A system;

FIG. 27 is a view illustrating a Channel Access Procedure (CAP) and Contention Window Adjustment (CWA);

FIG. 28 is a view illustrating a method for adjusting a Contention Window Size (CWS);

FIG. 29 is a view illustrating one of methods for setting a Z value for CWS adjustment;

FIG. 30 is a view illustrating a sensing interval for performing LBT;

FIG. 31 is a view illustrating an evolved Node B (eNB) sensing-based CWS update method;

FIG. 32 is a view illustrating a method for setting a defer period; and

FIG. 33 is a block diagram of apparatuses for implementing the methods illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 32.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure as described below in detail relate to a wireless access system supporting an unlicensed band, and particularly, to methods for performing a channel access procedure for transmitting different types of signals and apparatuses supporting the same.

The embodiments of the present disclosure described below are combinations of elements and features of the present disclosure in specific forms. The elements or features may be considered selective unless otherwise mentioned. Each element or feature may be practiced without being combined with other elements or features. Further, an embodiment of the present disclosure may be constructed by combining parts of the elements and/or features. Operation orders described in embodiments of the present disclosure may be rearranged. Some constructions or elements of any one embodiment may be included in another embodiment and may be replaced with corresponding constructions or features of another embodiment.

In the description of the attached drawings, a detailed description of known procedures or steps of the present disclosure will be avoided lest it should obscure the subject matter of the present disclosure. In addition, procedures or steps that could be understood to those skilled in the art will not be described either.

Throughout the specification, when a certain portion “includes” or “comprises” a certain component, this indicates that other components are not excluded and may be further included unless otherwise noted. The terms “unit”, “-or/er” and “module” described in the specification indicate a unit for processing at least one function or operation, which may be implemented by hardware, software or a combination thereof. In addition, the terms “a or an”, “one”, “the” etc. may include a singular representation and a plural representation in the context of the present disclosure (more particularly, in the context of the following claims) unless indicated otherwise in the specification or unless context clearly indicates otherwise.

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, a description is mainly made of a data transmission and reception relationship between a Base Station (BS) and a User Equipment (UE). A BS refers to a terminal node of a network, which directly communicates with a UE. A specific operation described as being performed by the BS may be performed by an upper node of the BS.

Namely, it is apparent that, in a network comprised of a plurality of network nodes including a BS, various operations performed for communication with a UE may be performed by the BS, or network nodes other than the BS. The term ‘BS’ may be replaced with a fixed station, a Node B, an evolved Node B (eNode B or eNB), an Advanced Base Station (ABS), an access point, etc.

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the term terminal may be replaced with a UE, a Mobile Station (MS), a Subscriber Station (SS), a Mobile Subscriber Station (MSS), a mobile terminal, an Advanced Mobile Station (AMS), etc.

A transmission end is a fixed and/or mobile node that provides a data service or a voice service and a reception end is a fixed and/or mobile node that receives a data service or a voice service. Therefore, a UE may serve as a transmission end and a BS may serve as a reception end, on an UpLink (UL). Likewise, the UE may serve as a reception end and the BS may serve as a transmission end, on a DownLink (DL).

The embodiments of the present disclosure may be supported by standard specifications disclosed for at least one of wireless access systems including an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.xx system, a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) system, a 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, and a 3GPP2 system. In particular, the embodiments of the present disclosure may be supported by the standard specifications, 3GPP TS 36.211, 3GPP TS 36.212, 3GPP TS 36.213, 3GPP TS 36.321 and 3GPP TS 36.331. That is, the steps or parts, which are not described to clearly reveal the technical idea of the present disclosure, in the embodiments of the present disclosure may be explained by the above standard specifications. All terms used in the embodiments of the present disclosure may be explained by the standard specifications.

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. The detailed description, which will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings, is intended to explain exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than to show the only embodiments that can be implemented according to the disclosure.

The following detailed description includes specific terms in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the specific terms may be replaced with other terms without departing the technical spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

For example, the term Transmission Opportunity Period (TxOP) is interchangeable with transmission period, Transmission (Tx) burst, or Reserved Resource Period (RRP). Further, a Listen Before Talk (LBT) operation may be performed for the same purpose as that of carrier sensing for determining whether a channel is in an idle state, Clear Channel Assessment (CCA), and a Channel Access Procedure (CAP).

Hereinafter, 3GPP LTE/LTE-A systems are explained, which are examples of wireless access systems.

The embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied to various wireless access systems such as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA), etc.

CDMA may be implemented as a radio technology such as Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA) or CDMA2000. TDMA may be implemented as a radio technology such as Global System for Mobile communications (GSM)/General packet Radio Service (GPRS)/Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE). OFDMA may be implemented as a radio technology such as IEEE 802.11 (WiFi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), IEEE 802.20, Evolved UTRA (E-UTRA), etc.

UTRA is a part of Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS). 3GPP LTE is a part of Evolved UMTS (E-UMTS) using E-UTRA, adopting OFDMA for DL and SC-FDMA for UL. LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) is an evolution of 3GPP LTE. While the embodiments of the present disclosure are described in the context of a 3GPP LTE/LTE-A system in order to clarify the technical features of the present disclosure, the present disclosure is also applicable to an IEEE 802.16e/m system, etc.

1. 3GPP LTE/LTE-A System

In a wireless access system, a UE receives information from an eNB on a DL and transmits information to the eNB on a UL. The information transmitted and received between the UE and the eNB includes general data information and various types of control information. There are many physical channels according to the types/usages of information transmitted and received between the eNB and the UE.

1.1 System Overview

FIG. 1 illustrates physical channels and a general signal transmission method using the physical channels, which may be used in embodiments of the present disclosure.

When a UE is powered on or enters a new cell, the UE performs initial cell search (S11). The initial cell search involves acquisition of synchronization to an eNB. Specifically, the UE synchronizes its timing to the eNB and acquires information such as a cell Identifier (ID) by receiving a Primary Synchronization Channel (P-SCH) and a Secondary Synchronization Channel (S-SCH) from the eNB.

Then the UE may acquire information broadcast in the cell by receiving a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) from the eNB.

During the initial cell search, the UE may monitor a DL channel state by receiving a Downlink Reference Signal (DL RS).

After the initial cell search, the UE may acquire more detailed system information by receiving a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) and receiving a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) based on information of the PDCCH (S12).

To complete connection to the eNB, the UE may perform a random access procedure with the eNB (S13 to S16). In the random access procedure, the UE may transmit a preamble on a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) (S13) and may receive a PDCCH and a PDSCH associated with the PDCCH (S14). In the case of contention-based random access, the UE may additionally perform a contention resolution procedure including transmission of an additional PRACH (S15) and reception of a PDCCH signal and a PDSCH signal corresponding to the PDCCH signal (S16).

After the above procedure, the UE may receive a PDCCH and/or a PDSCH from the eNB (S17) and transmit a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) and/or a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) to the eNB (S18), in a general UL/DL signal transmission procedure.

Control information that the UE transmits to the eNB is generically called Uplink Control Information (UCI). The UCI includes a Hybrid Automatic Repeat and reQuest Acknowledgement/Negative Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK/NACK), a Scheduling Request (SR), a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), a Precoding Matrix Index (PMI), a Rank Indicator (RI), etc.

In the LTE system, UCI is generally transmitted on a PUCCH periodically. However, if control information and traffic data should be transmitted simultaneously, the control information and traffic data may be transmitted on a PUSCH. In addition, the UCI may be transmitted aperiodically on the PUSCH, upon receipt of a request/command from a network.

FIG. 2 illustrates exemplary radio frame structures used in embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2(a) illustrates frame structure type 1. Frame structure type 1 is applicable to both a full Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) system and a half FDD system.

One radio frame is 10 ms (Tf=307200·Ts) long, including equal-sized 20 slots indexed from 0 to 19. Each slot is 0.5 ms (Tslot=15360·Ts) long. One subframe includes two successive slots. An i^(th) subframe includes 2i^(th) and (2i+1)^(th) slots. That is, a radio frame includes 10 subframes. A time required for transmitting one subframe is defined as a Transmission Time Interval (TTI). Ts is a sampling time given as Ts=1/(15 kHz×2048)=3.2552×10-8 (about 33 ns). One slot includes a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols or SC-FDMA symbols in the time domain by a plurality of Resource Blocks (RBs) in the frequency domain.

A slot includes a plurality of OFDM symbols in the time domain. Since OFDMA is adopted for DL in the 3GPP LTE system, one OFDM symbol represents one symbol period. An OFDM symbol may be called an SC-FDMA symbol or symbol period. An RB is a resource allocation unit including a plurality of contiguous subcarriers in one slot.

In a full FDD system, each of 10 subframes may be used simultaneously for DL transmission and UL transmission during a 10-ms duration. The DL transmission and the UL transmission are distinguished by frequency. On the other hand, a UE cannot perform transmission and reception simultaneously in a half FDD system.

The above radio frame structure is purely exemplary. Thus, the number of subframes in a radio frame, the number of slots in a subframe, and the number of OFDM symbols in a slot may be changed.

FIG. 2(b) illustrates frame structure type 2. Frame structure type 2 is applied to a Time Division Duplex (TDD) system. One radio frame is 10 ms (Tf=307200·Ts) long, including two half-frames each having a length of 5 ms (=153600·Ts) long. Each half-frame includes five subframes each being 1 ms (=30720·Ts) long. An ith subframe includes 2ith and (2i+1)th slots each having a length of 0.5 ms (Tslot=15360·Ts). Ts is a sampling time given as Ts=1/(15 kHz×2048)=3.2552×10-8 (about 33 ns).

A type-2 frame includes a special subframe having three fields, Downlink Pilot Time Slot (DwPTS), Guard Period (GP), and Uplink Pilot Time Slot (UpPTS). The DwPTS is used for initial cell search, synchronization, or channel estimation at a UE, and the UpPTS is used for channel estimation and UL transmission synchronization with a UE at an eNB. The GP is used to cancel UL interference between a UL and a DL, caused by the multi-path delay of a DL signal.

[Table 1] below lists special subframe configurations (DwPTS/GP/UpPTS lengths).

TABLE 1 Normal cyclic prefix in downlink Extended cyclic prefix in downlink UpPTS UpPTS Special subframe Normal cyclic Extended cyclic Normal cyclic Extended cyclic configuration DwPTS prefix in uplink prefix in uplink DwPTS prefix in uplink prefix in uplink 0  6592 · T_(s) 2192 · T_(s) 2560 · T_(s)  7680 · T_(s) 2192 · T_(s) 2560 · T_(s) 1 19760 · T_(s) 20480 · T_(s) 2 21952 · T_(s) 23040 · T_(s) 3 24144 · T_(s) 25600 · T_(s) 4 26336 · T_(s)  7680 · T_(s) 4384 · T_(s) 5120 · T_(s) 5  6592 · T_(s) 4384 · T_(s) 5120 · T_(s) 20480 · T_(s) 6 19760 · T_(s) 23040 · T_(s) 7 21952 · T_(s) 12800 · T_(s) 8 24144 · T_(s) — — — 9 13168 · T_(s) — — —

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary structure of a DL resource grid for the duration of one DL slot, which may be used in embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 3, a DL slot includes a plurality of OFDM symbols in the time domain. One DL slot includes 7 OFDM symbols in the time domain and an RB includes 12 subcarriers in the frequency domain, to which the present disclosure is not limited.

Each element of the resource grid is referred to as a Resource Element (RE). An RB includes 12×7 REs. The number of RBs in a DL slot, NDL depends on a DL transmission bandwidth. A UL slot may have the same structure as a DL slot.

FIG. 4 illustrates a structure of a UL subframe which may be used in embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 4, a UL subframe may be divided into a control region and a data region in the frequency domain. A PUCCH carrying UCI is allocated to the control region and a PUSCH carrying user data is allocated to the data region. To maintain a single carrier property, a UE does not transmit a PUCCH and a PUSCH simultaneously. A pair of RBs in a subframe are allocated to a PUCCH for a UE. The RBs of the RB pair occupy different subcarriers in two slots. Thus it is said that the RB pair frequency-hops over a slot boundary.

FIG. 5 illustrates a structure of a DL subframe that may be used in embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 5, up to three OFDM symbols of a DL subframe, starting from OFDM symbol 0 are used as a control region to which control channels are allocated and the other OFDM symbols of the DL subframe are used as a data region to which a PDSCH is allocated. DL control channels defined for the 3GPP LTE system include a Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH), a PDCCH, and a Physical Hybrid ARQ Indicator Channel (PHICH).

The PCFICH is transmitted in the first OFDM symbol of a subframe, carrying information about the number of OFDM symbols used for transmission of control channels (i.e. the size of the control region) in the subframe. The PHICH is a response channel to a UL transmission, delivering an HARQ ACK/NACK signal. Control information carried on the PDCCH is called Downlink Control Information (DCI). The DCI transports UL resource assignment information, DL resource assignment information, or UL Transmission (Tx) power control commands for a UE group.

1.2 Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH)

1.2.1 PDCCH Overview

The PDCCH may deliver information about resource allocation and a transport format for a Downlink Shared Channel (DL-SCH) (i.e. a DL grant), information about resource allocation and a transport format for an Uplink Shared Channel (UL-SCH) (i.e. a UL grant), paging information of a Paging Channel (PCH), system information on the DL-SCH, information about resource allocation for a higher-layer control message such as a random access response transmitted on the PDSCH, a set of Tx power control commands for individual UEs of a UE group, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) activation indication information, etc.

A plurality of PDCCHs may be transmitted in the control region. A UE may monitor a plurality of PDCCHs. A PDCCH is transmitted in an aggregate of one or more consecutive Control Channel Elements (CCEs). A PDCCH made up of one or more consecutive CCEs may be transmitted in the control region after subblock interleaving. A CCE is a logical allocation unit used to provide a PDCCH at a code rate based on the state of a radio channel A CCE includes a plurality of RE Groups (REGs). The format of a PDCCH and the number of available bits for the PDCCH are determined according to the relationship between the number of CCEs and a code rate provided by the CCEs.

1.2.2 PDCCH Structure

A plurality of PDCCHs for a plurality of UEs may be multiplexed and transmitted in the control region. A PDCCH is made up of an aggregate of one or more consecutive CCEs. A CCE is a unit of 9 REGs each REG including 4 REs. Four Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) symbols are mapped to each REG. REs occupied by RSs are excluded from REGs. That is, the total number of REGs in an OFDM symbol may be changed depending on the presence or absence of a cell-specific RS. The concept of an REG to which four REs are mapped is also applicable to other DL control channels (e.g. the PCFICH or the PHICH). Let the number of REGs that are not allocated to the PCFICH or the PHICH be denoted by NREG. Then the number of CCEs available to the system is NCCE (=└N_(REG)/9┘) and the CCEs are indexed from 0 to NCCE−1.

To simplify the decoding process of a UE, a PDCCH format including n CCEs may start with a CCE having an index equal to a multiple of n. That is, given CCE i, the PDCCH format may start with a CCE satisfying i mod n=0

The eNB may configure a PDCCH with 1, 2, 4, or 8 CCEs. {1, 2, 4, 8} are called CCE aggregation levels. The number of CCEs used for transmission of a PDCCH is determined according to a channel state by the eNB. For example, one CCE is sufficient for a PDCCH directed to a UE in a good DL channel state (a UE near to the eNB). On the other hand, 8 CCEs may be required for a PDCCH directed to a UE in a poor DL channel state (a UE at a cell edge) in order to ensure sufficient robustness.

[Table 2] below illustrates PDCCH formats. 4 PDCCH formats are supported according to CCE aggregation levels as illustrated in [Table 2].

TABLE 2 Number of PDCCH format Number of CCE (n) Number of REG PDCCH bits 0 1 9 72 1 2 18 144 2 4 36 288 3 8 72 576

A different CCE aggregation level is allocated to each UE because the format or Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) level of control information delivered in a PDCCH for the UE is different. An MCS level defines a code rate used for data coding and a modulation order. An adaptive MCS level is used for link adaptation. In general, three or four MCS levels may be considered for control channels carrying control information.

Regarding the formats of control information, control information transmitted on a PDCCH is called DCI. The configuration of information in PDCCH payload may be changed depending on the DCI format. The PDCCH payload is information bits. [Table 3] lists DCI according to DCI formats.

TABLE 3 DCI Format Description Format 0 Resource grants for PUSCH transmissions (uplink) Format 1 Resource assignments for single codeword PDSCH transmission (transmission modes 1, 2 and 7) Format 1A Compact signaling of resource assignments for single codeword PDSCH (all modes) Format 1B Compact resource assignments for PDSCH using rank-1 closed loop precoding (mode 6) Format 1C Very compact resource assignments for PDSCH (e.g., paging/broadcast system information) Format 1D Compact resource assignments for PDSCH using multi-user MIMO(mode 5) Format 2 Resource assignments for PDSCH for closed loop MIMO operation (mode 4) Format 2A resource assignments for PDSCH for open loop MIMO operation (mode 3) Format 3/3A Power control commands for PUCCH and PUSCH with 2-bit/1-bit power adjustment Format 4 Scheduling of PUSCH in one UL cell with multi-antenna port transmission mode

Referring to [Table 3], the DCI formats include Format 0 for PUSCH scheduling, Format 1 for single-codeword PDSCH scheduling, Format 1A for compact single-codeword PDSCH scheduling, Format 1C for very compact DL-SCH scheduling, Format 2 for PDSCH scheduling in a closed-loop spatial multiplexing mode, Format 2A for PDSCH scheduling in an open-loop spatial multiplexing mode, and Format 3/3A for transmission of Transmission Power Control (TPC) commands for uplink channels. DCI Format 1A is available for PDSCH scheduling irrespective of the transmission mode of a UE.

The length of PDCCH payload may vary with DCI formats. In addition, the type and length of PDCCH payload may be changed depending on compact or non-compact scheduling or the transmission mode of a UE.

The transmission mode of a UE may be configured for DL data reception on a PDSCH at the UE. For example, DL data carried on a PDSCH includes scheduled data, a paging message, a random access response, broadcast information on a BCCH, etc. for a UE. The DL data of the PDSCH is related to a DCI format signaled through a PDCCH. The transmission mode may be configured semi-statically for the UE by higher-layer signaling (e.g. Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling). The transmission mode may be classified as single antenna transmission or multi-antenna transmission.

A transmission mode is configured for a UE semi-statically by higher-layer signaling. For example, multi-antenna transmission scheme may include transmit diversity, open-loop or closed-loop spatial multiplexing, Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO), or beamforming. Transmit diversity increases transmission reliability by transmitting the same data through multiple Tx antennas. Spatial multiplexing enables high-speed data transmission without increasing a system bandwidth by simultaneously transmitting different data through multiple Tx antennas. Beamforming is a technique of increasing the Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR) of a signal by weighting multiple antennas according to channel states.

A DCI format for a UE depends on the transmission mode of the UE. The UE has a reference DCI format monitored according to the transmission mode configure for the UE. The following 10 transmission modes are available to UEs:

(1) Transmission mode 1: Single antenna port (port 0);

(2) Transmission mode 2: Transmit diversity;

(3) Transmission mode 3: Open-loop spatial multiplexing when the number of layer is larger than 1 or Transmit diversity when the rank is 1;

(4) Transmission mode 4: Closed-loop spatial multiplexing;

(5) Transmission mode 5: MU-MIMO;

(6) Transmission mode 6: Closed-loop rank-1 precoding;

(7) Transmission mode 7: Precoding supporting a single layer transmission, which is not based on a codebook (Rel-8);

(8) Transmission mode 8: Precoding supporting up to two layers, which are not based on a codebook (Rel-9);

(9) Transmission mode 9: Precoding supporting up to eight layers, which are not based on a codebook (Rel-10); and

(10) Transmission mode 10: Precoding supporting up to eight layers, which are not based on a codebook, used for CoMP (Rel-11).

1.2.3 PDCCH Transmission

The eNB determines a PDCCH format according to DCI that will be transmitted to the UE and adds a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) to the control information. The CRC is masked by a unique Identifier (ID) (e.g. a Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI)) according to the owner or usage of the PDCCH. If the PDCCH is destined for a specific UE, the CRC may be masked by a unique ID (e.g. a cell-RNTI (C-RNTI)) of the UE. If the PDCCH carries a paging message, the CRC of the PDCCH may be masked by a paging indicator ID (e.g. a Paging-RNTI (P-RNTI)). If the PDCCH carries system information, particularly, a System Information Block (SIB), its CRC may be masked by a system information ID (e.g. a System Information RNTI (SI-RNTI)). To indicate that the PDCCH carries a random access response to a random access preamble transmitted by a UE, its CRC may be masked by a Random Access-RNTI (RA-RNTI).

Then, the eNB generates coded data by channel-encoding the CRC-added control information. The channel coding may be performed at a code rate corresponding to an MCS level. The eNB rate-matches the coded data according to a CCE aggregation level allocated to a PDCCH format and generates modulation symbols by modulating the coded data. Herein, a modulation order corresponding to the MCS level may be used for the modulation. The CCE aggregation level for the modulation symbols of a PDCCH may be one of 1, 2, 4, and 8. Subsequently, the eNB maps the modulation symbols to physical REs (i.e. CCE to RE mapping).

1.2.4 Blind Decoding (BD)

A plurality of PDCCHs may be transmitted in a subframe. That is, the control region of a subframe includes a plurality of CCEs, CCE 0 to CCE NCCE,k−1. NCCE,k is the total number of CCEs in the control region of a kth subframe. A UE monitors a plurality of PDCCHs in every subframe. This means that the UE attempts to decode each PDCCH according to a monitored PDCCH format.

The eNB does not provide the UE with information about the position of a PDCCH directed to the UE in an allocated control region of a subframe. Without knowledge of the position, CCE aggregation level, or DCI format of its PDCCH, the UE searches for its PDCCH by monitoring a set of PDCCH candidates in the subframe in order to receive a control channel from the eNB. This is called blind decoding. Blind decoding is the process of demasking a CRC part with a UE ID, checking a CRC error, and determining whether a corresponding PDCCH is a control channel directed to a UE by the UE.

The UE monitors a PDCCH in every subframe to receive data transmitted to the UE in an active mode. In a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) mode, the UE wakes up in a monitoring interval of every DRX cycle and monitors a PDCCH in a subframe corresponding to the monitoring interval. The PDCCH-monitored subframe is called a non-DRX subframe.

To receive its PDCCH, the UE should blind-decode all CCEs of the control region of the non-DRX subframe. Without knowledge of a transmitted PDCCH format, the UE should decode all PDCCHs with all possible CCE aggregation levels until the UE succeeds in blind-decoding a PDCCH in every non-DRX subframe. Since the UE does not know the number of CCEs used for its PDCCH, the UE should attempt detection with all possible CCE aggregation levels until the UE succeeds in blind decoding of a PDCCH.

In the LTE system, the concept of Search Space (SS) is defined for blind decoding of a UE. An SS is a set of PDCCH candidates that a UE will monitor. The SS may have a different size for each PDCCH format. There are two types of SSs, Common Search Space (CSS) and UE-specific/Dedicated Search Space (USS).

While all UEs may know the size of a CSS, a USS may be configured for each individual UE. Accordingly, a UE should monitor both a CSS and a USS to decode a PDCCH. As a consequence, the UE performs up to 44 blind decodings in one subframe, except for blind decodings based on different CRC values (e.g., C-RNTI, P-RNTI, SI-RNTI, and RA-RNTI).

In view of the constraints of an SS, the eNB may not secure CCE resources to transmit PDCCHs to all intended UEs in a given subframe. This situation occurs because the remaining resources except for allocated CCEs may not be included in an SS for a specific UE. To minimize this obstacle that may continue in the next subframe, a UE-specific hopping sequence may apply to the starting position of a USS.

[Table 4] illustrates the sizes of CSSs and USSs.

TABLE 4 PDCCH Number of Number of Format Number of CCE (n) candidates in CSS candidates in USS 0 1 — 6 1 2 — 6 2 4 4 2 3 8 2 2

To mitigate the load of the UE caused by the number of blind decoding attempts, the UE does not search for all defined DCI formats simultaneously. Specifically, the UE always searches for DCI Format 0 and DCI Format 1A in a USS. Although DCI Format 0 and DCI Format 1A are of the same size, the UE may distinguish the DCI formats by a flag for format 0/format 1a differentiation included in a PDCCH. Other DCI formats than DCI Format 0 and DCI Format 1A, such as DCI Format 1, DCI Format 1B, and DCI Format 2 may be required for the UE.

The UE may search for DCI Format 1A and DCI Format 1C in a CSS. The UE may also be configured to search for DCI Format 3 or 3A in the CSS. Although DCI Format 3 and DCI Format 3A have the same size as DCI Format 0 and DCI Format 1A, the UE may distinguish the DCI formats by a CRC scrambled with an ID other than a UE-specific ID.

An SS S_(k) ^((L)) is a PDCCH candidate set with a CCE aggregation level Lϵ{1, 2, 4, 8}. The CCEs of PDCCH candidate set m in the SS may be determined by the following equation.

L·{(Y _(k) +m) mod└N _(CCE,k) /L┘}+i

Herein, M^((L)) is the number of PDCCH candidates with CCE aggregation level L to be monitored in the SS, m=0, . . . , M^((L))−1, i is the index of a CCE in each PDCCH candidate, and i=0, . . . , L−1. k=└n_(s)/2┘ where n_(s) is the index of a slot in a radio frame.

As described before, the UE monitors both the USS and the CSS to decode a PDCCH. The CSS supports PDCCHs with CCE aggregation levels {4, 8} and the USS supports PDCCHs with CCE aggregation levels {1, 2, 4, 8}. [Table 5] illustrates PDCCH candidates monitored by a UE.

TABLE 5 Search space S_(k) ^((L)) Number of PDCCH Type Aggregation level L Size [in CCEs] candidates M^((L)) UE-specific 1 6 6 2 12 6 4 8 2 8 16 2 Common 4 16 4 8 16 2

Referring to [Equation 1], for two aggregation levels, L=4 and L=8, Y_(k) is set to 0 in the CSS, whereas Y_(k) is defined by [Equation 2] for aggregation level L in the USS.

Y _(k)=(A·Y _(k-1)) mod D  [Equation 2]

Herein, Y⁻¹=n_(RNTI)≠0, n_(RNTI) indicating an RNTI value. A=39827 and D=65537.

1.3. PUCCH (Physical Uplink Control Channel)

PUCCH may include the following formats to transmit control information.

(1) Format 1: On-Off keying (OOK) modulation, used for SR (Scheduling Request)

(2) Format 1a & 1b: Used for ACK/NACK transmission

-   -   1) Format 1a: BPSK ACK/NACK for 1 codeword     -   2) Format 1b: QPSK ACK/NACK for 2 codewords

(3) Format 2: QPSK modulation, used for CQI transmission

(4) Format 2a & Format 2b: Used for simultaneous transmission of CQI and ACK/NACK

(5) Format 3: Used for multiple ACK/NACK transmission in a carrier aggregation environment

[Table 6] shows a modulation scheme according to PUCCH format and the number of bits per subframe. Table 7 shows the number of reference signals (RS) per slot according to PUCCH format. Table 8 shows SC-FDMA symbol location of RS (reference signal) according to PUCCH format. In Table 6, PUCCH format 2a and PUCCH format 2b correspond to a case of normal cyclic prefix (CP).

TABLE 6 PUCCH format Modulation scheme No. of bits per subframe, Mbit 1 N/A N/A 1a BPSK 1 1b QPSK 2 2 QPSK 20 2a QPSK + BPSK 21 2b QPSK + BPSK 22 3 QPSK 48

TABLE 7 PUCCH format Normal CP Extended CP 1, 1a, 1b 3 2 2, 3 2 1 2a, 2b 2 N/A

TABLE 8 SC-FDMA symbol location of RS PUCCH format Normal CP Extended CP 1, 1a, 1b 2, 3, 4 2, 3 2, 3 1, 5 3 2a, 2b 1, 5 N/A

FIG. 6 shows PUCCH formats 1a and 1b in case of a normal cyclic prefix. And, FIG. 7 shows PUCCH formats 1a and 1b in case of an extended cyclic prefix.

According to the PUCCH formats 1a and 1b, control information of the same content is repeated in a subframe by slot unit. In each UE, ACK/NACK signal is transmitted on a different resource constructed with a different cyclic shift (CS) (frequency domain code) and an orthogonal cover (OC) or orthogonal cover code (OCC) (time domain spreading code) of CG-CAZAC (computer-generated constant amplitude zero auto correlation) sequence. For instance, the OC includes Walsh/DFT orthogonal code. If the number of CS and the number of OC are 6 and 3, respectively, total 18 UEs may be multiplexed within the same PRB (physical resource block) with reference to a single antenna. Orthogonal sequences w0, w1, w2 and w3 may be applicable to a random time domain (after FFT modulation) or a random frequency domain (before FFT modulation).

For persistent scheduling with SR, ACK/NACK resource constructed with CS, OC and PRB (physical resource block) may be allocated to a UE through RRC (radio resource control. For non-persistent scheduling with dynamic ACK/NACK, the ACK/NACK resource may be implicitly allocated to a UE using a smallest CCE index of PDCCH corresponding to PDSCH.

Length-4 orthogonal sequence (OC) and length-3 orthogonal sequence for PUCCH format 1/1a/1b are shown in Table 9 and Table 10, respectively.

TABLE 9 Orthogonal sequences Sequence index n_(oc) (n_(s)) [w(0) . . . w(N_(SF) ^(PUCCH) − 1)] 0 [+1 +1 +1 +1] 1 [+1 −1 +1 −1] 2 [+1 −1 −1 +1]

TABLE 10 Orthogonal sequences Sequence index n_(oc) (n_(s)) [w(0) . . . w(N_(SF) ^(PUCCH) − 1)] 0 [1 1 1] 1 [1 e^(j2π/3) e^(j4π/3)] 2 [1 e^(j4π/3) e^(j2π/3)]

Orthogonal sequence (OC) [w(0) . . . w(N_(RS) ^(PUCCH)−1)] for a reference signal in PUCCH format 1/1a/1b is shown in Table 11.

TABLE 11 Sequence index n _(oc) (n_(s)) Normal cyclic prefix Extended cyclic prefix 0 [1 1 1] [1 1] 1 [1 e^(j2π/3) e^(j4π/3)] [1 −1] 2 [1 e^(j4π/3) e^(j2π/3)] N/A

FIG. 8 shows PUCCH format 2/2a/2b in case of a normal cyclic prefix. And, FIG. 9 shows PUCCH format 2/2a/2b in case of an extended cyclic prefix.

Referring to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, in case of a normal CP, a subframe is constructed with 10 QPSK data symbols as well as RS symbol. Each QPSK symbol is spread in a frequency domain by CS and is then mapped to a corresponding SC-FDMA symbol. SC-FDMA symbol level CS hopping may be applied to randomize inter-cell interference. The RS may be multiplexed by CDM using a cyclic shift. For instance, assuming that the number of available CSs is 12, 12 UEs may be multiplexed in the same PRB. For instance, assuming that the number of available CSs is 6, 6 UEs may be multiplexed in the same PRB. In brief, a plurality of UEs in PUCCH format 1/1a/1b and PUCCH format 2/2a/2b may be multiplexed by ‘CS+OC+PRB’ and ‘CS+PRB’, respectively.

FIG. 10 is a diagram of ACK/NACK channelization for PUCCH formats 1a and 1b. In particular, FIG. 10 corresponds to a case of ‘Δ_(shift) ^(PUCCH)=2’,

FIG. 11 is a diagram of channelization for a hybrid structure of PUCCH format 1/1a/1b and PUCCH format 2/2a/2b.

Cyclic shift (CS) hopping and orthogonal cover (OC) remapping may be applicable in a following manner.

(1) Symbol-based cell-specific CS hopping for randomization of inter-cell interference

(2) Slot level CS/OC remapping

-   -   1) For inter-cell interference randomization     -   2) Slot based access for mapping between ACK/NACK channel and         resource (k)

Meanwhile, resource n_(r) for PUCCH format 1/1a/1b may include the following combinations.

(1) CS (=equal to DFT orthogonal code at symbol level) (n_(cs))

(2) OC (orthogonal cover at slot level) (n_(oc))

(3) Frequency RB (Resource Block) (n_(rb))

If indexes indicating CS, OC and RB are set to n_(cs), n_(oc), n_(rb), respectively, a representative index n_(r) may include n_(cs), n_(oc) and n_(rb). In this case, the n_(r) may meet the condition of ‘n_(r)=(n_(cs), n_(oc), n_(rb))’.

The combination of CQI, PMI, RI, CQI and ACK/NACK may be delivered through the PUCCH format 2/2a/2b. And, Reed Muller (RM) channel coding may be applicable.

For instance, channel coding for UL (uplink) CQI in LTE system may be described as follows. First of all, bitstreams a₀, a₁, a₂, a₃, . . . , a_(A-1) may be coded using (20, A) RM code. In this case, a₀ and a_(A-1) indicates MSB (Most Significant Bit) and LSB (Least Significant Bit), respectively. In case of an extended cyclic prefix, maximum information bits include 11 bits except a case that QI and ACK/NACK are simultaneously transmitted. After coding has been performed with 20 bits using the RM code, QPSK modulation may be applied. Before the BPSK modulation, coded bits may be scrambled.

Table 12 shows a basic sequence for (20, A) code.

TABLE 12 i M_(i, 0) M_(i, 1) M_(i, 2) M_(i, 3) M_(i, 4) M_(i, 5) M_(i, 6) M_(i, 7) M_(i, 8) M_(i, 9) M_(i, 10) M_(i, 11) M_(i, 12) 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 5 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 6 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 7 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 8 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 9 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 10 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 12 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 13 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 14 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 15 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 16 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 17 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 18 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 19 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

Channel coding bits b₀, b₁, b₂, b₃, . . . , b_(B-1) may be generated by [Equation 31].

$\begin{matrix} {b_{i} = {\sum\limits_{n = 0}^{A - 1}{\left( {a_{n} \cdot M_{i,n}} \right){mod}\; 2}}} & \left\lbrack {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 3} \right\rbrack \end{matrix}$

In [Equation 3], ‘i=0, 1, 2, . . . , B−1’ is met.

In case of wideband repots, a bandwidth of UCI (uplink control information) field for CQI/PMI can be represented as Tables 8 to 10 in the following.

[Table 13] shows UCI (Uplink Control Information) field for broadband report (single antenna port, transmit diversity) or open loop spatial multiplexing PDSCH CQI feedback.

TABLE 13 Field Bandwidth Wideband CQI 4

[Table 14] shows UL control information (UCI) field for CQI and PMI feedback in case of wideband reports (closed loop spatial multiplexing PDSCH transmission).

TABLE 14 Bandwidth 2 antenna ports 4 antenna ports Field rank = 1 rank = 2 rank = 1 Rank >1 Wideband CQI 4 4 4 4 Spatial differential CQI 0 3 0 3 Precoding Matrix 2 1 4 4 Indication

[Table 15] shows UL control information (UCI) field for RI feedback in case of wideband reports.

TABLE 15 Bit widths 4 antenna ports Field 2 antenna ports Max. 2 layers Max. 4 layers Rank Indication 1 1 2

FIG. 12 is a diagram for PRB allocation. Referring to FIG. 20, PRB may be usable for PUCCH transmission in a slot n_(s).

2. Carrier Aggregation (CA) Environment

2.1 CA Overview

A 3GPP LTE system (conforming to Rel-8 or Rel-9) (hereinafter, referred to as an LTE system) uses Multi-Carrier Modulation (MCM) in which a single Component Carrier (CC) is divided into a plurality of bands. In contrast, a 3GPP LTE-A system (hereinafter, referred to an LTE-A system) may use CA by aggregating one or more CCs to support a broader system bandwidth than the LTE system. The term CA is interchangeably used with carrier combining, multi-CC environment, or multi-carrier environment.

In the present disclosure, multi-carrier means CA (or carrier combining). Herein, CA covers aggregation of contiguous carriers and aggregation of non-contiguous carriers. The number of aggregated CCs may be different for a DL and a UL. If the number of DL CCs is equal to the number of UL CCs, this is called symmetric aggregation. If the number of DL CCs is different from the number of UL CCs, this is called asymmetric aggregation. The term CA is interchangeable with carrier combining, bandwidth aggregation, spectrum aggregation, etc.

The LTE-A system aims to support a bandwidth of up to 100 MHz by aggregating two or more CCs, that is, by CA. To guarantee backward compatibility with a legacy IMT system, each of one or more carriers, which has a smaller bandwidth than a target bandwidth, may be limited to a bandwidth used in the legacy system.

For example, the legacy 3GPP LTE system supports bandwidths {1.4, 3, 5, 10, 15, and 20 MHz} and the 3GPP LTE-A system may support a broader bandwidth than 20 MHz using these LTE bandwidths. A CA system of the present disclosure may support CA by defining a new bandwidth irrespective of the bandwidths used in the legacy system.

There are two types of CA, intra-band CA and inter-band CA. Intra-band CA means that a plurality of DL CCs and/or UL CCs are successive or adjacent in frequency. In other words, the carrier frequencies of the DL CCs and/or UL CCs are positioned in the same band. On the other hand, an environment where CCs are far away from each other in frequency may be called inter-band CA. In other words, the carrier frequencies of a plurality of DL CCs and/or UL CCs are positioned in different bands. In this case, a UE may use a plurality of Radio Frequency (RF) ends to conduct communication in a CA environment.

The LTE-A system adopts the concept of cell to manage radio resources. The above-described CA environment may be referred to as a multi-cell environment. A cell is defined as a pair of DL and UL CCs, although the UL resources are not mandatory. Accordingly, a cell may be configured with DL resources alone or DL and UL resources.

For example, if one serving cell is configured for a specific UE, the UE may have one DL CC and one UL CC. If two or more serving cells are configured for the UE, the UE may have as many DL CCs as the number of the serving cells and as many UL CCs as or fewer UL CCs than the number of the serving cells, or vice versa. That is, if a plurality of serving cells are configured for the UE, a CA environment using more UL CCs than DL CCs may also be supported.

CA may be regarded as aggregation of two or more cells having different carrier frequencies (center frequencies). Herein, the term ‘cell’ should be distinguished from ‘cell’ as a geographical area covered by an eNB. Hereinafter, intra-band CA is referred to as intra-band multi-cell and inter-band CA is referred to as inter-band multi-cell.

In the LTE-A system, a Primacy Cell (PCell) and a Secondary Cell (SCell) are defined. A PCell and an SCell may be used as serving cells. For a UE in RRC_CONNECTED state, if CA is not configured for the UE or the UE does not support CA, a single serving cell including only a PCell exists for the UE. On the contrary, if the UE is in RRC_CONNECTED state and CA is configured for the UE, one or more serving cells may exist for the UE, including a PCell and one or more SCells.

Serving cells (PCell and SCell) may be configured by an RRC parameter. A physical-layer ID of a cell, PhysCellId is an integer value ranging from 0 to 503. A short ID of an SCell, SCellIndex is an integer value ranging from 1 to 7. A short ID of a serving cell (PCell or SCell), ServeCellIndex is an integer value ranging from 1 to 7. If ServeCellIndex is 0, this indicates a PCell and the values of ServeCellIndex for SCells are pre-assigned. That is, the smallest cell ID (or cell index) of ServeCellIndex indicates a PCell.

A PCell refers to a cell operating in a primary frequency (or a primary CC). A UE may use a PCell for initial connection establishment or connection reestablishment. The PCell may be a cell indicated during handover. In addition, the PCell is a cell responsible for control-related communication among serving cells configured in a CA environment. That is, PUCCH allocation and transmission for the UE may take place only in the PCell. In addition, the UE may use only the PCell in acquiring system information or changing a monitoring procedure. An Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) may change only a PCell for a handover procedure by a higher layer RRCConnectionReconfiguraiton message including mobilityControlInfo to a UE supporting CA.

An SCell may refer to a cell operating in a secondary frequency (or a secondary CC). Although only one PCell is allocated to a specific UE, one or more SCells may be allocated to the UE. An SCell may be configured after RRC connection establishment and may be used to provide additional radio resources. There is no PUCCH in cells other than a PCell, that is, in SCells among serving cells configured in the CA environment.

When the E-UTRAN adds an SCell to a UE supporting CA, the E-UTRAN may transmit all system information related to operations of related cells in RRC_CONNECTED state to the UE by dedicated signaling. Changing system information may be controlled by releasing and adding a related SCell. Herein, a higher layer RRCConnectionReconfiguration message may be used. The E-UTRAN may transmit a dedicated signal having a different parameter for each cell rather than it broadcasts in a related SCell.

After an initial security activation procedure starts, the E-UTRAN may configure a network including one or more SCells by adding the SCells to a PCell initially configured during a connection establishment procedure. In the CA environment, each of a PCell and an SCell may operate as a CC. Hereinbelow, a Primary CC (PCC) and a PCell may be used in the same meaning and a Secondary CC (SCC) and an SCell may be used in the same meaning in embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example of CCs and CA in the LTE-A system, which are used in embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 13(a) illustrates a single carrier structure in the LTE system. There are a DL CC and a UL CC and one CC may have a frequency range of 20 MHz.

FIG. 13(b) illustrates a CA structure in the LTE-A system. In the illustrated case of FIG. 13(b), three CCs each having 20 MHz are aggregated. While three DL CCs and three UL CCs are configured, the numbers of DL CCs and UL CCs are not limited. In CA, a UE may monitor three CCs simultaneously, receive a DL signal/DL data in the three CCs, and transmit a UL signal/UL data in the three CCs.

If a specific cell manages N DL CCs, the network may allocate M (M≤N) DL CCs to a UE. The UE may monitor only the M DL CCs and receive a DL signal in the M DL CCs. The network may prioritize L (L≤M≤N) DL CCs and allocate a main DL CC to the UE. In this case, the UE should monitor the L DL CCs. The same thing may apply to UL transmission.

The linkage between the carrier frequencies of DL resources (or DL CCs) and the carrier frequencies of UL resources (or UL CCs) may be indicated by a higher layer message such as an RRC message or by system information. For example, a set of DL resources and UL resources may be configured based on linkage indicated by System Information Block Type 2 (SIB2). Specifically, DL-UL linkage may refer to a mapping relationship between a DL CC carrying a PDCCH with a UL grant and a UL CC using the UL grant, or a mapping relationship between a DL CC (or a UL CC) carrying HARQ data and a UL CC (or a DL CC) carrying an HARQ ACK/NACK signal.

2.2 Cross Carrier Scheduling

Two scheduling schemes, self-scheduling and cross carrier scheduling are defined for a CA system, from the perspective of carriers or serving cells. Cross carrier scheduling may be called cross CC scheduling or cross cell scheduling.

In self-scheduling, a PDCCH (carrying a DL grant) and a PDSCH are transmitted in the same DL CC or a PUSCH is transmitted in a UL CC linked to a DL CC in which a PDCCH (carrying a UL grant) is received.

In cross carrier scheduling, a PDCCH (carrying a DL grant) and a PDSCH are transmitted in different DL CCs or a PUSCH is transmitted in a UL CC other than a UL CC linked to a DL CC in which a PDCCH (carrying a UL grant) is received.

Cross carrier scheduling may be activated or deactivated UE-specifically and indicated to each UE semi-statically by higher layer signaling (e.g. RRC signaling).

If cross carrier scheduling is activated, a Carrier Indicator Field (CIF) is required in a PDCCH to indicate a DL/UL CC in which a PDSCH/PUSCH indicated by the PDCCH is to be transmitted. For example, the PDCCH may allocate PDSCH resources or PUSCH resources to one of a plurality of CCs by the CIF. That is, when a PDCCH of a DL CC allocates PDSCH or PUSCH resources to one of aggregated DL/UL CCs, a CIF is set in the PDCCH. In this case, the DCI formats of LTE Release-8 may be extended according to the CIF. The CIF may be fixed to three bits and the position of the CIF may be fixed irrespective of a DCI format size. In addition, the LTE Release-8 PDCCH structure (the same coding and resource mapping based on the same CCEs) may be reused.

On the other hand, if a PDCCH transmitted in a DL CC allocates PDSCH resources of the same DL CC or allocates PUSCH resources in a single UL CC linked to the DL CC, a CIF is not set in the PDCCH. In this case, the LTE Release-8 PDCCH structure (the same coding and resource mapping based on the same CCEs) may be used.

If cross carrier scheduling is available, a UE needs to monitor a plurality of PDCCHs for DCI in the control region of a monitoring CC according to the transmission mode and/or bandwidth of each CC. Accordingly, an appropriate SS configuration and PDCCH monitoring are needed for the purpose.

In the CA system, a UE DL CC set is a set of DL CCs scheduled for a UE to receive a PDSCH, and a UE UL CC set is a set of UL CCs scheduled for a UE to transmit a PUSCH. A PDCCH monitoring set is a set of one or more DL CCs in which a PDCCH is monitored. The PDCCH monitoring set may be identical to the UE DL CC set or may be a subset of the UE DL CC set. The PDCCH monitoring set may include at least one of the DL CCs of the UE DL CC set. Or the PDCCH monitoring set may be defined irrespective of the UE DL CC set. DL CCs included in the PDCCH monitoring set may be configured to always enable self-scheduling for UL CCs linked to the DL CCs. The UE DL CC set, the UE UL CC set, and the PDCCH monitoring set may be configured UE-specifically, UE group-specifically, or cell-specifically.

If cross carrier scheduling is deactivated, this implies that the PDCCH monitoring set is always identical to the UE DL CC set. In this case, there is no need for signaling the PDCCH monitoring set. However, if cross carrier scheduling is activated, the PDCCH monitoring set may be defined within the UE DL CC set. That is, the eNB transmits a PDCCH only in the PDCCH monitoring set to schedule a PDSCH or PUSCH for the UE.

FIG. 14 illustrates a cross carrier-scheduled subframe structure in the LTE-A system, which is used in embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 14, three DL CCs are aggregated for a DL subframe for LTE-A UEs. DL CC ‘A’ is configured as a PDCCH monitoring DL CC. If a CIF is not used, each DL CC may deliver a PDCCH that schedules a PDSCH in the same DL CC without a CIF. On the other hand, if the CIF is used by higher layer signaling, only DL CC ‘A’ may carry a PDCCH that schedules a PDSCH in the same DL CC ‘A’ or another CC. Herein, no PDCCH is transmitted in DL CC ‘B’ and DL CC ‘C’ that are not configured as PDCCH monitoring DL CCs.

FIG. 15 is conceptual diagram illustrating a construction of serving cells according to cross-carrier scheduling.

Referring to FIG. 15, an eNB (or BS) and/or UEs for use in a radio access system supporting carrier aggregation (CA) may include one or more serving cells. In FIG. 8, the eNB can support a total of four serving cells (cells A, B, C and D). It is assumed that UE A may include Cells (A, B, C), UE B may include Cells (B, C, D), and UE C may include Cell B. In this case, at least one of cells of each UE may be composed of P Cell. In this case, P Cell is always activated, and SCell may be activated or deactivated by the eNB and/or UE.

The cells shown in FIG. 15 may be configured per UE. The above-mentioned cells selected from among cells of the eNB, cell addition may be applied to carrier aggregation (CA) on the basis of a measurement report message received from the UE. The configured cell may reserve resources for ACK/NACK message transmission in association with PDSCH signal transmission. The activated cell is configured to actually transmit a PDSCH signal and/or a PUSCH signal from among the configured cells, and is configured to transmit CSI reporting and Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) transmission. The deactivated cell is configured not to transmit/receive PDSCH/PUSCH signals by an eNB command or a timer operation, and CRS reporting and SRS transmission are interrupted.

2.3. Channel State Information (CSI) Feedback on PUCCH

First of all, in the 3GPP LTE system, when a DL reception entity (e.g., UE) is connected to a DL transmission entity (e.g., BS), the DL reception entity performs measurement on a Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) of a reference signal transmitted in DL, a quality of a reference signal (RSRQ: Reference Signal Received Quality) and the like at a random time and is then able to make a periodic or even-triggered report of a corresponding measurement result to the BS.

Each UE reports a DL channel information in accordance with a DL channel status via uplink. A base station is then able to determine time/frequency resources, MCS (modulation and coding scheme) and the like appropriate for a data transmission to each UE using the DL channel information received from the each UE.

Such Channel State Information (CSI) may include Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), Precoding Matrix Indicator (PMI), Precoder Type Indication (PTI) and/or Rank Indication (RI). In particular, the CSI may be transmitted entirely or partially depending on a transmission mode of each UE. CQI is determined based on a received signal quality of a UE, which may be generally determined on the basis of a measurement of a DL reference signal. In doing so, a CQI value actually delivered to a base station may correspond to an MCS capable of providing maximum performance by maintaining a Block Error Rate (BLER) under 10% in the received signal quality measured by a UE.

This channel information reporting may be classified into a periodic report transmitted periodically and an aperiodic report transmitted in response to a request made by a BS.

In case of the aperiodic report, it is set for each UE by a 1-bit request bit (CQI request bit) contained in UL scheduling information downloaded to a UE by a BS. Having received this information, each UE is then able to deliver channel information to the BS via a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) in consideration of its transmission mode. And, it may set RI and CQI/PMI not to be transmitted on the same PUSCH.

In case of the periodic report, a period for transmitting channel information via an upper layer signal, an offset in the corresponding period and the like are signaled to each UE by subframe unit and channel information in consideration of a transmission mode of each UE may be delivered to a BS via a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) in accordance with a determined period. In case that data transmitted in uplink simultaneously exists in a subframe in which channel information is transmitted by a determined period, the corresponding channel information may be transmitted together with the data not on the PUCCH but on a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH). In case of the periodic report via PUCCH, bits (e.g., 11 bits) limited further than those of the PUSCH may be used. RI and CQI/PMI may be transmitted on the same PUSCH.

In case that contention occurs between the periodic report and the aperiodic report in the same subframe, only the aperiodic report can be performed.

In calculating Wideband CQI/PMI, a most recently transmitted RI may be usable. RI in a PUCCH CSI report mode is independent from RI in a PUSCH CSI report mode. The RI in the PUSCH CSI report mode is valid for CQI/PMI in the corresponding PUSCH CSI report mode only.

Table 16 is provided to describe CSI feedback type transmitted on PUCCH and PUCCH CSI report mode.

TABLE 16 PMI Feedback Type No PMI (OL, TD, single-antenna) Single PMI (CL) CQI Wideband Mode 1-0 Mode 1-1 Feedback RI (only for Open-Loop SM) RI Type One Wideband CQI (4 bit) Wideband CQI (4 bit) when RI > 1, CQI of first codeword Wideband spatial CQI (3 bit) for RI > 1 Wideband PMI (4 bit) UE Mode 2-0 Mode 2-1 Selected RI (only for Open-Loop SM) RI Wideband CQI (4 bit) Wideband CQI (4 bit) Best-1 CQI (4 bit) in each BP Wideband spatial CQI (3 bit) for RI > 1 Best-1 indicator(L-bit label) Wideband PMI (4 bit) when RI > 1, CQI of first codeword Best-1 CQI (4 bit) 1 in each BP Best-1 spatial CQI (3 bit) for RI > 1 Best-1 indicator (L-bit label)

Referring to [Table 16], in the periodic report of channel information, there are 4 kinds of reporting modes (mode 1-0, mode 1-2, mode 2-0 and mode 2-1) in accordance with CQI and PMI feedback types.

CQI can be classified into WideBand (WB) CQI and SubBand (SB) CQI in accordance with CQI feedback type and PMI can be classified into No PMI or Single PMI in accordance with a presence or non-presence of PMI transmission. In Table 11, No PMI corresponds to a case of Open-Loop (OL), Transmit Diversity (TD) and single-antenna, while Single PMI corresponds to a case of Closed-Loop (CL).

The mode 1-0 corresponds to a case that WB CQI is transmitted in the absence of PMI transmission. In this case, RI is transmitted only in case of OL Spatial Multiplexing (SM) and one WB CQI represented as 4 bits can be transmitted. If RI is greater than 1, CQI for a 1^(st) codeword can be transmitted.

Mode 1-1 corresponds to a case that a single PMI and WB CQI are transmitted. In this case, 4-bit WB CQI and 4-bit WB PMI can be transmitted together with RI transmission. Additionally, if RI is greater than 1, 3-bit WB (wideband) spatial differential CQI can be transmitted. In 2-codeword transmission, the WB spatial differential CQI may indicate a difference value between a WB CQI index for codeword 1 and a WB CQI index for codeword 2. The difference value in-between may have a value selected from a set {−4, −3, −2, −1, 0, 1, 2, 3} and can be represented as 3 bits.

The mode 2-0 corresponds to a case that CQI on a UE-selected band is transmitted in the absence of PMI transmission. In this case, RI is transmitted only in case of open-loop spatial multiplexing (SM) and a WB CQI represented as 4 bits may be transmitted. A best CQI (best−1) is transmitted on each bandwidth part (BP) and the best−1 CQI may be represented as 4 bits. And, an L-bit indicator indicating the best−1 may be transmitted together. If the RI is greater than 1, a CQI for a 1^(st) codeword can be transmitted.

And, Mode 2-1 corresponds to a case that a single PMI and a CQI on a UE-selected band are transmitted. In this case, together with RI transmission, 4-bit WB CQI, 3-bit WB spiral differential CQI and 4-bit WB PMI can be transmitted. Additionally, 4-bit best−1 CQI is transmitted on each Bandwidth Part (BP) and L-bit best−1 indicator can be transmitted together. Additionally, if RI is greater than 1, 3-bit best−1 spatial differential CQI can be transmitted. In 2-codeword transmission, it may indicate a difference value between a best−1 CQI index of codeword 1 and a best−1 CQI index of codeword 2.

For the transmission modes, periodic PUCCH CSI report modes are supported as follows.

1) Transmission mode 1: Modes 1-0 and 2-0

2) Transmission mode 2: Modes 1-0 and 2-0

3) Transmission mode 3: Modes 1-0 and 2-0

4) Transmission mode 4: Modes 1-1 and 2-1

5) Transmission mode 5: Modes 1-1 and 2-1

6) Transmission mode 6: Modes 1-1 and 2-1

7) Transmission mode 7: Modes 1-0 and 2-0

8) Transmission mode 8: Modes 1-1 and 2-1 if a UE is set to make a PMI/RI reporting, or Modes 1-0 and 2-0 if a UE is set not to make a PMI/RI reporting

9) Transmission mode 9: Modes 1-1 and 2-1 if a UE is set to make a PMI/RI reporting and the number of CSI-RS ports is greater than 1, or Modes 1-0 and 2-0 if a UE is set not to make a PMI/RI reporting and the number of CSI-RS port(s) is equal to 1.

The periodic PUCCH CSIU reporting mode in each serving cell is set by upper layer signaling. And, Mode 1-1 is set to either submode 1 or submode 2 by an upper layer signaling using a parameter ‘PUCCH_format1-1_CSI_reporting_mode’.

A CQI reporting in a specific subframe of a specific serving cell in a UE-selected SB CQI means a measurement of at least one channel state of a bandwidth part (BP) corresponding to a portion of a bandwidth of a serving cell. An index is given to the bandwidth part in a frequency increasing order starting with a lowest frequency without an increment of a bandwidth.

2.4 Method for Transmitting ACK/NACK on PUCCH

2.4.1 ACK/NACK Transmission in LTE System

Under the situation that a UE simultaneously transmits a plurality of ACKs/NACKs corresponding to multiple data units received from an eNB, in order to maintain the single-carrier property of ACK/NACK signals and reduce the total ACK/NACK transmission power, ACK/NACK multiplexing method based on PUCCH resource selection can be considered. With ACK/NACK multiplexing, contents of the ACK/NACK signals for multiple data units are identified by the combination of the PUCCH resource used in actual ACK/NACK transmission and the one of QPSK modulation symbols. For example, if it is assumed that one PUCCH resource carries 4 bits and 4 data units can be transmitted in maximum (at this time, assume that HARQ operation for each data unit can be managed by single ACK/NACK bit), the Transmission (Tx) node can identify the ACK/NACK result based on the transmission position of the PUCCH signal and the bits of the ACK/NACK signal as shown in [Table 17] below.

TABLE 17 HARQ-ACK(0), HARQ-ACK(1), HARQ- b(0), ACK(2), HARQ-ACK(3) n_(PUCCH) ⁽¹⁾ b(1) ACK, ACK, ACK, ACK n_(PUCCH,1) ⁽¹⁾ 1, 1 ACK, ACK, ACK, NACK/DTX n_(PUCCH,1) ⁽¹⁾ 1, 0 NACK/DTX, NACK/DTX, NACK, DTX n_(PUCCH,2) ⁽¹⁾ 1, 1 ACK, ACK, NACK/DTX, ACK n_(PUCCH,1) ⁽¹⁾ 1, 0 NACK, DTX, DTX, DTX n_(PUCCH,0) ⁽¹⁾ 1, 0 ACK, ACK, NACK/DTX, NACK/DTX n_(PUCCH,1) ⁽¹⁾ 1, 0 ACK, NACK/DTX, ACK, ACK n_(PUCCH,3) ⁽¹⁾ 0, 1 NACK/DTX, NACK/DTX, NACK/DTX, NACK n_(PUCCH,3) ⁽¹⁾ 1, 1 ACK, NACK/DTX, ACK, NACK/DTX n_(PUCCH,2) ⁽¹⁾ 0, 1 ACK, NACK/DTX, NACK/DTX, ACK n_(PUCCH,0) ⁽¹⁾ 0, 1 ACK, NACK/DTX, NACK/DTX, NACK/DTX n_(PUCCH,0) ⁽¹⁾ 1, 1 NACK/DTX, ACK, ACK, ACK n_(PUCCH,3) ⁽¹⁾ 0, 1 NACK/DTX, NACK, DTX, DTX n_(PUCCH,1) ⁽¹⁾ 0, 0 NACK/DTX, ACK, ACK, NACK/DTX n_(PUCCH,2) ⁽¹⁾ 1, 0 NACK/DTX, ACK, NACK/DTX, ACK n_(PUCCH,3) ⁽¹⁾ 1, 0 NACK/DTX, ACK, NACK/DTX, NACK/DTX n_(PUCCH,1) ⁽¹⁾ 0, 1 NACK/DTX, NACK/DTX, ACK, ACK n_(PUCCH,3) ⁽¹⁾ 0, 1 NACK/DTX, NACK/DTX, ACK, NACK/DTX n_(PUCCH,2) ⁽¹⁾ 0, 0 NACK/DTX, NACK/DTX, NACK/DTX, ACK n_(PUCCH,3) ⁽¹⁾ 0, 0 DTX, DTX, DTX, DTX N/A N/A

In [Table 17], HARQ-ACK(i) indicates the ACK/NACK result for the data unit i. For example, if a maximum of 4 data units is transmitted, i=0, 1, 2, 3. In Table 17, DTX means that there is no data unit transmitted for corresponding HARQ-ACK(i) or the Reception (Rx) node doesn't detect the existence of the data unit corresponding to HARQ-ACK(i).

In addition, n_(PUCCH,X) ⁽¹⁾ indicates the PUCCH resource which should be used in actual ACK/NACK transmission, if there are 4 PUCCH resources, a maximum of four PUCCH resources n_(PUCCH,0) ⁽¹⁾, n_(PUCCH,1) ⁽¹⁾, n_(PUCCH,2) ⁽¹⁾ and n_(PUCCH,3) ⁽¹⁾ may be allocated to the UE.

In addition, b(0),b(1) indicates two bits carried by the selected PUCCH resource. Modulation symbols which are transmitted through PUCCH resource are decided according to the bits. For example, if the RX node receives and decodes 4 data units successfully, the RX node should transmit two bits, (1, 1), using PUCCH resource n_(PUCCH,1) ⁽¹⁾. For another example, if the RX node receives 4 data units and fails in decoding the first and the third data units (corresponding to HARQ-ACK(0) and HARQ-ACK(2)), the RX node should transmit (1, 0) using n_(PUCCH,3) ⁽¹⁾.

By linking the actual ACK/NACK contents with the combination of PUCCH resource selection and the actual bit contents in the transmitted PUCCH resource in this way, ACK/NACK transmission using a single PUCCH resource for multiple data units is possible.

In ACK/NACK multiplexing method (see Table 17), basically, NACK and DTX are coupled as NACK/DTX if at least one ACK exists for all data units. This is because combinations of PUCCH resources and QPSK symbols are insufficient to cover all ACK, NACK and DTX hypotheses. On the other hand, for the case that no ACK exists for all data units (in other words, NACK or DTX only exists for all data units), single NACK decoupled with DTX is defined one as HARQ-ACK(i). In this case, PUCCH resource linked to the data unit corresponding to single NACK can be also reserved to transmit the signal of multiple ACKs/NACKs.

2.4.2 ACK/NACK Transmission in LTE-A System

In an LTE-A system (e.g., Rel-10, 11, 12, etc.), transmission of a plurality of ACK/NACK signals for a plurality of PDSCH signals, which is transmitted via a plurality of DL CCs, via a specific UL CC is considered. Unlike ACK/NACK transmission using PUCCH format 1a/1b of an LTE system, a plurality of ACK/NACK signals may be subjected to channel coding (e.g., Reed-Muller coding, Tail-biting convolutional coding, etc.) and then a plurality of ACK/NACK information/signals may be transmitted using PUCCH format 2 or a new PUCCH format (e.g., an E-PUCCH format) modified based on block spreading.

FIG. 16 shows an example of a new PUCCH format based on block spreading.

A block spreading scheme refers to a method for performing modulation using an SC-FDMA scheme unlike PUCCH format series 1 or 2 in an LTE system. The block spreading scheme refers to a scheme for time-domain spreading and transmitting a symbol sequence using an Orthogonal Cover Code (OCC) as shown in FIG. 16. That is, the symbol sequence is spread using the OCC to multiplex control signals of several UEs in the same RB.

In the above-described PUCCH format 2, one symbol sequence is transmitted over the time domain and UE multiplexing is performed using Cyclic Shift (CCS) of a CAZAC sequence. However, in the new PUCCH format based on block spreading, one symbol sequence is transmitted over the frequency domain and UE multiplexing is performed using time-domain spreading based on an OCC.

For example, as shown in FIG. 16, one symbol sequence may be generated as five SC-FDMA symbols by an OCC of length-5 (that is, SF=5). Although a total of 2 RS symbols is used during one slot in FIG. 16, various methods using three RS symbols and using an OCC of SF=4 may be used. At this time, the RS symbols may be generated from a CAZAC sequence having specific cyclic shift and may be transmitted in the form in which a specific OCC is applied (multiplied by) to a plurality of RS symbols of the time domain.

In the embodiments of the present invention, for convenience of description, a multi-ACK/NACK transmission scheme based on channel coding using PUCCH format 2 or a new PUCCH format (e.g., an E-PUCCH format) is defined as a “multi-bit ACK/NACK coding transmission method”.

The multi-bit ACK/NACK coding method refers to a method for transmitting ACK/NACK code blocks generated by channel-coding ACK/NACK or DTX information (meaning that the PDCCH is not received/detected) for PDSCH signals transmitted on a plurality of DL CCs.

For example, when the UE operates on a certain DL CC in an SU-MIMO mode and receives two CodeWords (CW), the UE may have a maximum of five feedback states including a total of four feedback states of each CW, such as ACK/ACK, ACK/NACK, NACK/ACK and NACK/NACK, and DTX. When the UE receives a single CW, the UE may have a maximum of three states including ACK, NACK and/or DTX. When NACK and DTX are equally processed, the UE may have a total of two states such as ACK and NACK/DTX.

Accordingly, when the UE aggregates a maximum of five DL CCs and the UE operates on all DL CCs in an SU-MIMO mode, the UE may have a maximum of 55 transmittable feedback states. At this time, the size of ACK/NACK payload representing the 55 feedback states may be a total of 12 bits. If DTX and NACK are equally processed, the number of feedback states becomes 45 and the size of the ACK/NACK payload representing the feedback states is a total of 10 bits.

In an ACK/NACK multiplexing (that is, ACK/NACK selection) method applied to an LTE TDD system, fundamentally, an implicit ACK/NACK selection method in which an implicit PUCCH resource corresponding to a PDCCH scheduling each PDSCH (that is, linked to a smallest CCE index) is used for ACK/NACK transmission in order to secure a PUCCH resource of each UE.

In an LTE-A FDD system, transmission of a plurality of ACK/NACK signals for a plurality of PDSCH signals transmitted via a plurality of DL CCs via one UE-specific UL CC is considered. “ACK/NACK selection” methods using an implicit PUCCH resource linked to a PDCCH scheduling some or all DL CCs (that is, linked to a smallest CCE index nCCE or linked to nCCE and nCCE+1) or a combination of an implicit PUCCH and an explicit PUCCH resource pre-allocated to each UE via RRC signaling are considered.

Even in an LTE-A TDD system, aggregation of a plurality of CCs is considered. For example, when a plurality of CCs is aggregated, UE transmitting a plurality of ACK/NACK information/signals for a plurality of PDSCH signals transmitted via a plurality of DL subframes and a plurality of CCs via a specific CC (that is, A/N CC) in UL subframes corresponding to the plurality of DL subframes in which the PDSCH signals are transmitted is considered.

At this time, unlike LTE-A FDD, a method (that is, full ACK/NACK) for transmitting a plurality of ACK/NACK signals corresponding to a maximum number of CWs, which may be transmitted via all CCs allocated to the UE, for a plurality of DL subframes may be considered or a method (that is, bundled ACK/NACK) for applying ACK/NACK bundling to a CW, CC and/or a subframe region, reducing the number of transmitted ACKs/NACKs and performing transmission may be considered.

At this time, CW bundling means that ACK/NACK bundling for CW per CC is applied to each DL subframe and CC bundling means that ACK/NACK bundling for all or some CCs is applied to each DL subframe. In addition, subframe bundling means that ACK/NACK bundling for all or some DL subframes is applied to each CC.

As the subframe bundling method, an ACK counter method indicating a total number of ACKs (or the number of some ACKs) per CC for all PDSCH signals or DL grant PDCCHs received on each DL CC may be considered. At this time, the multi-bit ACK/NACK coding scheme or the ACK/NACK transmission scheme based on the ACK/NACK selection method may be configurably applied according to the size of the ACK/NACK payload per UE, that is, the size of the ACK/NACK payload for transmission of full or bundled ACK/NACK configured per UE.

2.5 Procedure for Transmitting and Receiving PUCCH

In a mobile communication system, one eNB transmits and receives data to and from a plurality of UEs via a wireless channel environment in one cell/sector. In a system operating using multiple carriers or the like, the eNB receives packet traffic from a wired Internet network and transmits the received packet traffic to each UE using a predetermined communication scheme. At this time, downlink scheduling is how the eNB determines when data is transmitted to which UE using which frequency domain. In addition, the eNB receives and demodulates data from the UE using a predetermined communication scheme and transmits packet traffic over a wired Internet network. Uplink scheduling is how the eNB determines when to enable which UE to transmit uplink data using which frequency domain. In general, a UE having a good channel state may transmit and receive data using more time and frequency resources.

In a system operating using multiple carriers or the like, resources may be roughly divided into a time domain and a frequency domain. The resources may be defined as resource blocks, which includes N subcarriers and M subframes or predetermined time units. At this time, N and M may be 1. FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of configuring a resource block in time-frequency units.

In FIG. 17, one rectangle means one resource block and one resource block has several subcarriers on one axis and has a predetermined time unit (e.g., slots or subframes) on the other axis.

In downlink, an eNB schedules one or more resource blocks to a UE selected according to a determined scheduling rule and transmits data using resource bocks allocated to the UE. In uplink, the eNB schedules one or more resource blocks to a UE selected according to a predetermined scheduling rule and a UE transmits data in uplink using the allocated resources.

An error control method performed when a (sub)frame, in which data is transmitted and received, is lost or damaged after transmitting and receiving data after scheduling includes an Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) method and a Hybrid ARQ (HARQ) method.

In the ARQ method, fundamentally, a transmitter waits for an acknowledgement (ACK) message after transmitting one (sub)frame and a receiver sends the ACK only upon receiving the sub(frame). When an error occurs in the (sub)frame, a negative ACK (NAK) message is sent and information on a reception frame, in which an error occurs, is removed from a receiver buffer. The transmitter transmits a subsequent (sub)frame upon receiving the ACK message but retransmits the (sub)frame upon receiving the NAK message. Unlike the ARQ method, in the HARQ method, when the received frame cannot be demodulated, the receiver transmits the NAK message to the transmitter, but the received frame is stored in a buffer during a predetermined time and is combined with a retransmitted frame, thereby increasing a reception success rate.

Recently, a HARQ method more efficient than the ARQ method is widely used. The HARQ method may be divided into various methods. For example, the HARQ method may be divided into a synchronous HARQ method and an asynchronous HARQ method according to retransmission timing and into a channel-adaptive HARQ method and a channel-non-adaptive HARQ method depending on whether the amount of resources used for retransmission is influenced by a channel state.

The synchronous HARQ method refers to a method of performing subsequent retransmission at timing determined by a system when initial transmission fails. For example, if it is assumed that retransmission is performed every four time units after initial transmission fails, retransmission timing is predetermined between the eNB and the UE and is not signaled. However, when the data transmission side receives a NAK message, the frame is retransmitted every four time units until an ACK message is received.

Meanwhile, the asynchronous HARQ method may be performed by newly scheduling retransmission timing or via additional signaling. The retransmission timing of the previously failed frame may be changed by several factors such as channel state.

The channel-non-adaptive HARQ method refers to a method of using scheduling information (e.g., the modulation method of the frame, the number of used resource blocks, Adaptive Modulation and Coding (AMC), etc.), which is set upon initial transmission, upon retransmission. In contrast, the channel-adaptive HARQ method refers to a method of changing such scheduling information according to the channel state.

For example, in the channel-non-adaptive HARQ method, a transmission side transmits data using six resource blocks upon initial transmission and retransmits data using six resource blocks upon retransmission. In contrast, in the channel-adaptive HARQ method, initial transmission is performed using six resource blocks and retransmission is performed using greater or less than six resource blocks according to the channel state.

Although there are four HARQ methods, the asynchronous and channel-adaptive HARQ method and the synchronous and channel-non-adaptive HARQ method are mainly used. The asynchronous and channel-adaptive HARQ method may maximize retransmission efficiency by adaptively changing the retransmission timing and the amount of used resources according to the channel state but may increase overhead. Accordingly, the asynchronous and channel-adaptive HARQ method is not generally considered for uplink. In contrast, the synchronous and channel-non-adaptive HARQ method may not cause overhead because retransmission timing and resource allocation are predetermined in the system, but has very low retransmission efficiency in a considerably changed channel state.

To this end, in the current 3GPP LTE/LTE-A system, the asynchronous HARQ method is used in downlink and the synchronous HARQ method is used in uplink.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of a resource allocation and retransmission method of an asynchronous HARQ method.

When an eNB transmits scheduling information in downlink, receives ACK/NAK information from a UE, and transmits next data, time delay occurs as shown in FIG. 19. This is channel propagation delay and delay occurring due to a time required for data decoding and data encoding.

A method of performing transmission using an independent HARQ process for data transmission without a gap during a delay period is being used. For example, if a shortest period from first data transmission to next data transmission is 7 subframes, data may be transmitted without a gap by setting 7 independent HARQ processes. In an LTE/LTE-A system, a maximum of eight HARQ processes may be allocated to one UE in non-MIMO.

2.6 CA Environment-Based CoMP Operation

Hereinafter, a cooperation multi-point (CoMP) transmission operation applicable to the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described.

In the LTE-A system, CoMP transmission may be implemented using a carrier aggregation (CA) function in the LTE. FIG. 19 is a conceptual view illustrating a CoMP system operating based on a CA environment.

In FIG. 19, it is assumed that a carrier operated as a PCell and a carrier operated as an SCell may use the same frequency band on a frequency axis and are allocated to two eNBs geographically spaced apart from each other. At this time, a serving eNB of UE1 may be allocated to the PCell, and a neighboring cell causing much interference may be allocated to the SCell. That is, the eNB of the PCell and the eNB of the SCell may perform various DL/UL CoMP operations such as joint transmission (JT), CS/CB and dynamic cell selection for one UE.

FIG. 19 illustrates an example that cells managed by two eNBs are aggregated as PCell and SCell with respect to one UE (e.g., UE1). However, as another example, three or more cells may be aggregated. For example, some cells of three or more cells may be configured to perform CoMP operation for one UE in the same frequency band, and the other cells may be configured to perform simple CA operation in different frequency bands. At this time, the PCell does not always need to participate in CoMP operation.

2.7 Reference Signal (RS)

Now, a description will be given of RSs which may be used in embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 20 illustrates an example of a subframe to which UE-RSs are allocated, which may be used in embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 20, the subframe illustrates REs occupied by UE-RSs among REs in one RB of a normal DL subframe having a normal CP.

UE-RSs are transmitted on antenna port(s) p=5, p=7, p=8 or p=7, 8, . . . , υ+6 for PDSCH transmission, where υ is the number of layers used for the PDSCH transmission. UE-RSs are present and are a valid reference for PDSCH demodulation only if the PDSCH transmission is associated with the corresponding antenna port. UE-RSs are transmitted only on RBs to which the corresponding PDSCH is mapped.

The UE-RSs are configured to be transmitted only on RB(s) to which a PDSCH is mapped in a subframe in which the PDSCH is scheduled unlike CRSs configured to be transmitted in every subframe irrespective of whether the PDSCH is present. Accordingly, overhead of the RS may decrease relative to overhead of the CRS.

In the 3GPP LTE-A system, the UE-RSs are defined in a PRB pair. Referring to FIG. 19, in a PRB having frequency-domain index nPRB assigned for PDSCH transmission with respect to p=7, p=8, or p=7, 8, . . . , υ+6, a part of UE-RS sequence r(m) is mapped to complex-valued modulation symbols.

UE-RSs are transmitted through antenna port(s) corresponding respectively to layer(s) of a PDSCH. That is, the number of UE-RS ports is proportional to a transmission rank of the PDSCH. Meanwhile, if the number of layers is 1 or 2, 12 REs per RB pair are used for UE-RS transmission and, if the number of layers is greater than 2, 24 REs per RB pair are used for UE-RS transmission. In addition, locations of REs occupied by UE-RSs (i.e. locations of UE-RS REs) in a RB pair are the same with respect to a UE-RS port regardless of a UE or a cell.

As a result, the number of DM-RS REs in an RB to which a PDSCH for a specific UE in a specific subframe is mapped is the same per UE-RS ports. Notably, in RBs to which the PDSCH for different UEs in the same subframe is allocated, the number of DM-RS REs included in the RBs may differ according to the number of transmitted layers.

The UE-RS can be used as the DM-RS in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

2.8 Enhanced PDCCH (EPDCCH)

In the 3GPP LTE/LTE-A system, Cross-Carrier Scheduling (CCS) in an aggregation status for a plurality of component carriers (CC: component carrier=(serving) cell) will be defined. One scheduled CC may previously be configured to be DL/UL scheduled from another one scheduling CC (that is, to receive DL/UL grant PDCCH for a corresponding scheduled CC). At this time, the scheduling CC may basically perform DL/UL scheduling for itself. In other words, a Search Space (SS) for a PDCCH for scheduling scheduling/scheduled CCs which are in the CCS relation may exist in a control channel region of all the scheduling CCs.

Meanwhile, in the LTE system, FDD DL carrier or TDD DL subframes are configured to use first n (n<=4) OFDM symbols of each subframe for transmission of physical channels for transmission of various kinds of control information, wherein examples of the physical channels include a PDCCH, a PHICH, and a PCFICH. At this time, the number of OFDM symbols used for control channel transmission at each subframe may be delivered to the UE dynamically through a physical channel such as PCFICH or semi-statically through RRC signaling.

Meanwhile, in the LTE/LTE-A system, since a PDCCH which is a physical channel for DL/UL scheduling and transmitting various kinds of control information has a limitation that it is transmitted through limited OFDM symbols, enhanced PDCCH (i.e., E-PDCCH) multiplexed with a PDSCH more freely in a way of FDM/TDM may be introduced instead of a control channel such as PDCCH, which is transmitted through OFDM symbol and separated from PDSCH. FIG. 21 illustrates an example that legacy PDCCH, PDSCH and E-PDCCH, which are used in an LTE/LTE-A system, are multiplexed.

3. LTE-U System

3.1 LTE-U System Configuration

Hereinafter, methods for transmitting and receiving data in a CA environment of an LTE-A band corresponding to a licensed band and an unlicensed band will be described. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, an LTE-U system means an LTE system that supports such a CA status of a licensed band and an unlicensed band. A WiFi band or Bluetooth (BT) band may be used as the unlicensed band.

FIG. 22 illustrates an example of a CA environment supported in an LTE-U system.

Hereinafter, for convenience of description, it is assumed that a UE is configured to perform wireless communication in each of a licensed band and an unlicensed band by using two CCs. The methods which will be described hereinafter may be applied to even a case where three or more CCs are configured for a UE.

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, it is assumed that a carrier of the licensed band may be a primary CC (PCC or PCell), and a carrier of the unlicensed band may be a secondary CC (SCC or SCell). However, the embodiments of the present disclosure may be applied to even a case where a plurality of licensed bands and a plurality of unlicensed bands are used in a carrier aggregation method. Also, the methods suggested in the present disclosure may be applied to even a 3GPP LTE system and another system.

In FIG. 22, one eNB supports both a licensed band and an unlicensed band. That is, the UE may transmit and receive control information and data through the PCC which is a licensed band, and may also transmit and receive control information and data through the SCC which is an unlicensed band. However, the status shown in FIG. 22 is only example, and the embodiments of the present disclosure may be applied to even a CA environment that one UE accesses a plurality of eNBs.

For example, the UE may configure a macro eNB (M-eNB) and a PCell, and may configure a small eNB (S-eNB) and an SCell. At this time, the macro eNB and the small eNB may be connected with each other through a backhaul network.

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the unlicensed band may be operated in a contention-based random access method. At this time, the eNB that supports the unlicensed band may perform a Carrier Sensing (CS) procedure prior to data transmission and reception. The CS procedure determines whether a corresponding band is reserved by another entity.

For example, the eNB of the SCell checks whether a current channel is busy or idle. If it is determined that the corresponding band is idle state, the eNB may transmit a scheduling grant to the UE to allocate a resource through (E)PDCCH of the PCell in case of a cross carrier scheduling mode and through PDCCH of the SCell in case of a self-scheduling mode, and may try data transmission and reception.

At this time, the eNB may configure a TxOP including N consecutive subframes. In this case, a value of N and a use of the N subframes may previously be notified from the eNB to the UE through higher layer signaling through the PCell or through a physical control channel or physical data channel.

3.2 Carrier Sensing (CS) Procedure

In embodiments of the present disclosure, a CS procedure may be called a Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) procedure. In the CCA procedure, it may be determined whether a channel is busy or idle based on a predetermined CCA threshold or a CCA threshold configured by higher-layer signaling. For example, if energy higher than the CCA threshold is detected in an unlicensed band, SCell, it may be determined that the channel is busy or idle. If the channel is determined to be idle, an eNB may start signal transmission in the SCell. This procedure may be referred to as LBT.

FIG. 23 is a view illustrating an exemplary Frame Based Equipment (FBE) operation as one of LBT operations.

The European Telecommunication Standards Institute (ETSI) regulation (EN 301 893 V1.7.1) defines two LBT operations, Frame Based Equipment (FBE) and Load Based Equipment (LBE). In FBE, one fixed frame is comprised of a channel occupancy time (e.g., 1 to 10 ms) being a time period during which a communication node succeeding in channel access may continue transmission, and an idle period being at least 5% of the channel occupancy time, and CCA is defined as an operation for monitoring a channel during a CCA slot (at least 20 μs) at the end of the idle period.

A communication node periodically performs CCA on a per-fixed frame basis. If the channel is unoccupied, the communication node transmits data during the channel occupancy time. On the contrary, if the channel is occupied, the communication node defers the transmission and waits until the CCA slot of the next period.

FIG. 24 is a block diagram illustrating the FBE operation.

Referring to FIG. 24, a communication node (i.e., eNB) managing an SCell performs CCA during a CCA slot. If the channel is idle, the communication node performs data Transmission (Tx). If the channel is busy, the communication node waits for a time period calculated by subtracting the CCA slot from a fixed frame period, and then resumes CCA.

The communication node transmits data during the channel occupancy time. Upon completion of the data transmission, the communication node waits for a time period calculated by subtracting the CCA slot from the idle period, and then resumes CCA. If the channel is idle but the communication node has no transmission data, the communication node waits for the time period calculated by subtracting the CCA slot from the fixed frame period, and then resumes CCA.

FIG. 25 is a view illustrating an exemplary LBE operation as one of the LBT operations.

Referring to FIG. 25(a), in LBE, the communication node first sets q (qϵ{4, 5, . . . , 32}) and then performs CCA during one CCA slot.

FIG. 25(b) is a block diagram illustrating the LBE operation. The LBE operation will be described with reference to FIG. 15(b).

The communication node may perform CCA during a CCA slot. If the channel is unoccupied in a first CCA slot, the communication node may transmit data by securing a time period of up to ( 13/32)q ms.

On the contrary, if the channel is occupied in the first CCA slot, the communication node selects N (Nϵ{1, 2, . . . , q}) arbitrarily (i.e., randomly) and stores the selected N value as an initial count. Then, the communication node senses a channel state on a CCA slot basis. Each time the channel is unoccupied in one specific CCA slot, the communication node decrements the count by 1. If the count is 0, the communication node may transmit data by securing a time period of up to ( 13/32)q ms.

4. Method for Updating Contention Window Size (CWS) and Method for Transmitting Different Signals

The afore-described Section 1 to Section 3 are applicable to embodiments of the present disclosure as described below. For example, operations, functions, and terms which are not defined in the embodiments may be executed and described based on Section 1 to Section 3.

A WiFi system operating in an unlicensed band uses a binary exponential backoff algorithm in order to avoid collision between nodes. In embodiments of the present disclosure, a range from which an eNB and/or a UE draws a backoff count is called a Contention Window (CW). If a minimum value CWmin and a maximum value CWmax are defined for a Contention Window Size (CWS), a transmission node first selects a random integer (e.g., 3) between 0 and CWmin−1. The transmission node performs CCA (CS, LBT, or the like). If the CCA result reveals that the number of slots determined to be idle on a corresponding channel is 3, the transmission node may start a transmission.

If the transmission node fails to receive an ACK for the transmission, the transmission node determines that collision has occurred, and doubles the CWS to decrease a collision probability. Accordingly, when the transmission node attempts a transmission again, the transmission node selects an integer between 0 and CWmin*2−1 and attempts as much backoff as the selected integer. If the transmission node fails in receiving an ACK again, the transmission node doubles the CWS again, and thus attempts backoff by selecting an integer between 0 and CWmin*4−1. If CWmax is less than CWmin*4−1, the transmission node selects a random integer between 0 and CWmax.

An LTE transmission node operating in the unlicensed band may also use the backoff algorithm in which a random integer is selected, and if as many idle SubFrames (SFs) or slots as the integer exist, a transmission is attempted. In this case, the LTE transmission node and the WiFi node may attempt transmissions simultaneously in the unlicensed band, thus colliding with each other. Since the WiFi node doubles its CWS due to the collision, the LTE transmission node also preferably increases its CWS without fixing the CWS, for fair co-existence with the WiFi system.

Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure propose events triggering CWS adjustment and/or CWS update, and methods for applying a changed CWS will be described in detail.

4.1 CWS Adjustment Methods

As in the WiFi system, if an LTE node fails to receive an ACK after attempting a transmission, the LTE node may increase a CWS by K1 times (e.g., twice) or L1 (a linear scale). Or if the LTE node receives an ACK for the transmission, the LTE node may set the CWS to an initial value, or decrease the CWS by K2 times (e.g., ½ times) or L2.

However, the LTE system differs from the WiFi system in that a UE transmits an ACK/NACK signal for a received DL signal at least 4 ms after a time of the reception of the DL signal in the LTE system, as illustrated in FIG. 26. This is because an ACK/NACK signal is transmitted the transmission opportunity immediately after reception of a DL signal in the WiFi system. FIG. 26 is a view illustrating an operation for transmitting an ACK/NACK signal for a DL transmission in the LTE/LTE-A system. In embodiments of the present disclosure, the term, LTE node covers eNB and/or UE.

As in FIG. 26, it is assumed that an eNB configures a Tx burst (or TxOP) continuously spanning 5 ms from SF #N and transmits DL signals in the Tx burst. After completing the transmission in up to SF #N+4, the eNB may perform a backoff algorithm to start a Tx burst again in SF #N+5.

Herein, ACK/NACK information that the eNB may refer to is ACK/NACK information for a DL signal transmitted at the time of SF #N. That is, the transmission node should control a CWS based on an ACK/NACK signal for a DL signal transmitted at least 5 ms earlier without knowing whether a DL signal has been successfully transmitted in the latest SF, SF #N+4. Therefore, adjustment of a CWS based on an ACK/NACK received shorty before the start of a Tx burst as is done in the WiFi system may not be suitable for the LTE system.

Embodiments of the present disclosure propose methods for increasing or decreasing a CWS in consideration of technological differences between a system supporting a licensed band and a system supporting an unlicensed band.

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, increasing a CWS means increasing the CWS by K1 times or L1, and decreasing the CWS means setting the CWS to an initial value or decreasing the CWS by K2 times or L2.

Herein, “adjustment of a CWS based on an ACK/NACK received immediately before the start of a Tx burst” may specifically mean the following operation.

To update a CWS at time t, ACK/NACK(s) received in closest N_sf SF(s) from among ACK/NACK(s) received in SFs earlier by N_latest SFs may be used at time t.

Or, to update a CWS at time t, ACK/NACK(s) received for closest N_sf SF(s) from among ACK/NACK(s) received for SFs earlier by N_latest SFs may be used at time t.

Herein, N_sf may be 1, and N_latest may be a fixed or preset value in the network, or selected dynamically based on the eNB's capability of decoding an ACK/NACK and updating a CWS. The above condition that a valid ACK/NACK used for CWS update at time t is at least N_latest SFs earlier is also applicable to other embodiments of the present disclosure as set forth below.

For example, if ACK/NACK information for the first SF of a Tx burst is to be used as described in Section 4.1.1, the first SF may be an SF which has been transmitted at least N_latest SFs before time t. In another example, if ACK/NACK information in a specific number of previous Tx bursts is to be used, only ACK/NACK information in a Tx burst transmitted at least N_latest SFs before time t may be considered to be valid.

Further, as in the following embodiments, LBT parameters (e.g., CS parameters or CCA parameters) may be configured according to signals of different types (or priority classes) (e.g., signals of UEs having different service requirements, HARQ processes having different service requirements, different Quality of Service (QoS) classes, or different DL channels). The positions of the closest N_sf SFs may be determined differently according to priority classes.

4.1.1 Method for Using HARQ-ACK Information Based on Reference Subframe

An LTE transmission node may use ACK/NACK information (i.e., HARQ-ACK information) for a reference SF (e.g., first SF) configured in a Tx burst, for CWS update.

For example, 5 SFs form one Tx burst, and an eNB may transmit DL signals to a UE during the Tx burst in FIG. 26. Herein, it is assumed that 4 SFs later, the UE feeds back ACK/NACK information for a received DL signal to the eNB.

ACK/NACK information for the first SF (i.e., starting SF) SF #N of the Tx burst is ACK/NACK information received at the time of SF #N+4. The eNB may control a CWS based on the ACK/NACK information received in SF #N+4, for a DL signal in the first SF SF#N. That is, if the eNB fails to receive an ACK signal for the first SF of the Tx burst, the eNB may increase the CWS, and if the eNB receives the ACK signal for the first SF #N, the eNB may decrease the CWS. That is, the first SF may be a reference SF for CWS control. This is because an ACK/NACK signal for a DL signal is transmitted a predetermined number of SFs after reception of the DL signal in view of the nature of the LTE system, thus making it difficult to use ACK/NACK information for an SF immediately before configuration of a new Tx burst.

According to this method, however, only if a continuous Tx burst 5 ms long is to be transmitted, ACK/NACK information for the previous Tx burst may be used. However, even though a Tx burst is 5 ms or shorter, ACK/NACK information for the previous Tx burst may be used in CWS update, according to N_sf set to 1 and an N_latest value.

Herein, the position of the first SF of a Tx burst may be different according to priority classes. For example, it is assumed that for priority class 1, a transmission starts in the first SF of the Tx burst, whereas for priority class 2, a transmission starts in the second SF of the Tx burst. An SF for which ACK/NACK information to be used for CWS control has been received may be the first SF in the case of priority class 1 and the second SF in the case of priority class 2.

For example, if the eNB performs transmissions of channel access priority class p on a channel, the eNB may maintain or adjust a CW value CW_(p) for the transmissions. First, for each priority class p (pϵ{1, 2, 3, 4}), the eNB may set CW_(p) to an initial value, CW_(min,p). If a probability Z of HARQ-ACK values corresponding to PDSCH transmission(s) in reference SF k being determined to be NACK is at least 80%, the eNB increases CW_(p) for each priority class p, and otherwise, the eNB resets the CW value to the initial value for each priority class p. Herein, reference SF k is a starting SF corresponding to a valid HARQ-ACK feedback in the latest transmission (i.e., Tx burst) of the eNB on a channel

In another aspect of the present disclosure, the eNB may use only ACK/NACK information for the last SF of a Tx burst, for CWS adjustment. That is, not the first SF but the last SF of the Tx burst may be used as a reference SF in CWS adjustment. This is because use of ACK/NACK information for a recent SF in configuring a new Tx burst may increase reliability.

Herein, the position of the last SF in a Tx burst may be different according to priority classes. For example, it is assumed that for priority class 1, a transmission spans to the third SF of a Tx burst, whereas for priority class 2, a transmission spans to the fourth SF of the Tx burst. Then, a reference SF for which ACK/NACK information to be used for CWS adjustment has been received may be the third SF for priority class 1 and the fourth SF for priority class 2.

4.1.2 Timer-Based CWS Update Method

In the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, it may configured that a timer value T_valid is set, and if ACK/NACK information has not been received within the time period T_valid, a CWS is decreased. For example, even in an embodiment of controlling a CWS based on the latest ACK/NACK information, a transmission node may decrease a CWS in the absence of ACK/NACK information during T_valid. This may readily be extended to the embodiments described in Section 4.1.1.

Further, different timer values T_valid may be set for different priority classes. For example, in the absence of ACK/NACK information for priority class 1 during a timer value, the transmission node may decrease a CWS for priority class 1 (or every priority class).

Or, the CWS decrease condition may be applied when it is satisfied only for a specific priority class. For example, in the absence of ACK/NACK information for the lowest priority class for T_valid, the transmission node may decrease all of CWSs for the lowest priority class and the other priority classes.

Or, the CWS decrease condition may be applied when it is satisfied for all priority classes. For example, in the absence of ACK/NACK information for very priority class during T_valid or longer, the transmission node may decrease a CWS for every priority class.

4.1.3 Method for Updating CWS Based on HARQ Process

A Transport Block (TB) may be dropped for such a reason as W1 occurrences of retransmissions for a specific HARQ process or non-completion of transmissions for the specific HARQ process during a time period T1. Upon occurrence of such TB dropping, a transmission node may decrease a CWS.

More specifically, if N1 or more TBs have been dropped, the transmission node may decrease the CWS.

Or, if N1 or more TBs have been dropped during a time period T2, the transmission node may decrease the CWS.

Or, if N1 or more TBs have been dropped (within T2) or CWmax has been used for N2 consecutive LBT operations, the transmission node may decrease the CWS.

Or, if CWmax has been used N3 or more times for an LBT operation for transmission of a DL Tx burst including a dropped TB, the transmission node may decrease the CWS.

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, W1, T1, T2, N1, N2, and/or N3 may be set to be equal or different according to priority classes. For example, it may be configured that if CWmax for priority class 1 has been used for N2 consecutive LBT operations, a CWS for priority class 1 (or every priority class) is decreased.

Or, in this embodiment, the CWS decrease condition may be applied when it is satisfied only for a specific priority class. For example, if CWmax for the lowest priority class has been used for N2 consecutive LBT operations, all of CWSs for the lowest priority class and the other priority classes may be decreased.

Or, in this embodiment, the CWS decrease condition may be applied when it is satisfied for every priority class. For example, if CWmax for every priority class has been used for N2 consecutive LBT operations, a CWS for every priority class may be decreased.

In one aspect of this embodiment, it may be assumed that each time an ECCA backoff count is drawn, a CWS is updated. In this case, if in the absence of transmission data, the transmission node uses CWmax N2 times during a plurality of ECCA operations, the transmission node may decrease the CWS. However, the transmission node preferably distinguishes continuous selections of an ECCA count during the absence of transmission data from continuous selections of an ECCA count for retransmissions. For example, use of CWmax during the absence of transmission data in the transmission node may have nothing to do with “the operation of decreasing the CWS due to N2 uses of CWmax”.

In the above methods, regarding collection of statistics of ACK/NACK information, it may be configured that ACK/NACK information from a specific number of (Q) previous Tx bursts is used. If the Q previous Tx bursts were transmitted for too long a time, out-of-dated ACK/NACK information may be used in the statistics. Accordingly, it may be configured that only Tx burst information during T_out is used.

That is, if Q Tx bursts exist within T_out, the transmission node may use all of the Q Tx bursts to update the CWS. Further, only if the Q Tx bursts do not exist within T_out, the transmission node may use ACK/NACK information in Tx bursts within T_out in the statistics.

In the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, parameters K1, K2, L1, L2, X1, X2, T, Y, J, p, F_inc, F_dec, T_valid, W1, T1, T2, N1, N2, and/or N3 may be preset or configured via an X2 interface. Herein, the parameters may be configured to have equal or different values according to priority classes.

In the case where a scheduled UE transmits a UL channel corresponding to a SCS or CCS UL grant that the eNB has transmitted, the same operation as in the case of receiving ACK information in the proposed methods may be performed.

For example, upon receipt of a UL channel corresponding to a transmitted UL grant, the eNB may decrease a CWS. On the contrary, if the eNB fails to receive the UL channel corresponding to the transmitted UL grant, the eNB may perform the same operation as in the case of receiving NACK information in the foregoing embodiments.

Or, considering that the UE may receive the UL grant but fail in an LBT operation for transmission of the UL channel corresponding to the UL grant, if the eNB fails to receive the UL channel corresponding to the transmitted UL grant, the eNB may not reflect the non-reception of the UL channel in setting a CWS.

4.2 Channel Access Procedure and Contention Window Adjustment Procedure

Hereinbelow, the afore-described Channel Access Procedure (CAP) and Contention Window Adjustment (CWA) will be described from the viewpoint of a transmission node.

FIG. 27 is a view illustrating the CAP and CWA.

For a DL transmission, an LTE transmission node (e.g., an eNB) may initiate the CAP to operate in unlicensed cell(s), LAA SCell(s) (S2710).

The eNB may select a random backoff count N from a CW. Herein, N is set to an initial value Ninit (S2720).

The eNB determines whether a channel of LAA SCell(s) is idle, and if the channel is idle, decreases the backoff count by 1 (S2730 and S2740).

In FIG. 27, the order of steps S2730 and S2740 may be changed. For example, the eNB may first decrease the backoff count N and then determine whether the channel is idle.

If the channel is not idle, that is, the channel is busy in step S2730, the eNB may determine whether the channel is idle during a defer period (equal to or longer than 25 μsec) longer than a slot duration (e.g., 9 μsec). If the channel is idle during the defer period, the eNB may perform the CAP again. For example, if the backoff count Ninit is 10 and after the backoff count is decreased to 5, the eNB determines that the channel is busy, the eNB determines whether the channel is idle by sensing the channel during the defer period. If the channel is idle during the defer period, the eNB may perform the CAP again, starting the backoff count from 5 (or from 4 after the backoff count is decreased by 1), instead of setting the backoff count Ninit.

Referring to FIG. 27 again, the eNB may determine whether the backoff count N is 0 (S2750). If the backoff count N is 0, the eNB may end the CAP process and transmit a Tx burst including a PDSCH (S2760).

The eNB may receive HARQ-ACK information for the Tx burst from a UE (S2770).

The eNB may adjust a CWS based on the received HARQ-ACK information (S2780).

In step S2780, the CWS may be adjusted in any of the methods described in Section 4.1.1 to Section 4.1.3 For example, the eNB may adjust the CWS based on HARQ-ACK information for the first SF (i.e., the starting SF) of the latest transmitted Tx burst.

Herein, before performing CWP, the eNB may set an initial CW for each priority class. Subsequently, if the probability of determining HARQ-ACK values for a PDSCH transmitted in a reference SF to be NACK is at least 80%, the eNB increases the CW value set for each priority class to an allowed next level.

In step S2760, the PDSCH may be allocated by SCS or CCS. If the PDSCH is allocated by SCS, the eNB counts the DTX, NACK/DTX, or ANY state indicated by feedback HARQ-ACK information as NACK. If the PDSCH is allocated by CCS, the eNB counts the NACK/DTX and ANY states indicated by feedback HARQ-ACK information as NACK meanwhile the eNB dose not count the DTX state indicated by feedback HARQ-ACK information as NACK.

If M (M>=2) SFs are bundled and bundled HARQ-ACK information is received, the eNB may regard the bundled HARQ-ACK information as M HARQ-ACK responses. Preferably, the bundled M SFs include a reference SF.

FIG. 28 is a view illustrating a CWS adjustment method.

In FIG. 28, the top part indicates SF indexes of an LAA SCell operating in an unlicensed band, corresponding to SF indexes of a PCell operating in a licensed band. In FIG. 28, a Tx burst spans three SFs, and for the convenience of description, Tx bursts are transmitted in one LAA SCell. Obviously, the same thing is applicable to a plurality of LAA SCells in the following embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 28, the eNB has data to be transmitted at the time of SF #1, and sets current CWSs, CurrCWS, to initial values 3, 7, 15, and 15 for respective priority classes (p=1 to 4).

If the eNB is to access a channel using an LBT parameter corresponding to priority class 3 and transmit DL traffic corresponding to priority class 3, the eNB selects one integer randomly from a range of [0, 15] as a backoff count.

If a time when the randomly selected integer becomes 0 does not match to an SF boundary, the eNB may transmit a reservation signal to occupy the channel, and performs a transmission including a PDSCH in three SFs starting with SF #3.

The eNB ends the DL transmission in the middle of SF #5, and adjusts the CWS shortly before an LBT operation (i.e., CAP) for a new DL transmission. However, since the eNB may not expect an HARQ-ACK response for the “PDSCH transmitted in SF #3” at the time of SF #5 in view of the nature of the LTE-A system (i.e., due to a 4-ms delay of an HARQ-ACK response), the eNB may perform the LBT operation using the same LBT parameter without CWS adjustment.

When the eNB ends the DL transmission in SF #9 and starts a new LBT operation, the eNB may expect an HARQ-ACK response for the Tx burst transmitted in SF #3 to SF #5. If the probability of regarding HARQ-ACK response(s) for the PDSCH(s) transmitted in SF#3 as NACK is equal to or greater than 80%, the eNB may increase the CWS.

Herein, since the eNB may not expect an HARQ-ACK response for a PDSCH transmitted in SF #7, SF #7 may not be a reference SF even though SF #7 is the first SF of the latest DL burst. That is, a reference SF means the first SF of the latest Tx burst for which an HARQ-ACK feedback is possible. Therefore, referring to FIG. 28, a reference SF for use in adjusting the CWS in SF #9 may be set to SF #3 included in the latest Tx burst for which an HARQ-ACK response is possible.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, it is assumed that due to a WiFi signal starting to be transmitted at the same time as a reservation signal in SF #2 as in the example of FIG. 28, UEs fail to receive a PDSCH at the time of SF #3 and thus feed back NACKs.

Thus, the eNB may increase the CWS, when updating or adjusting LBT parameters in SF #9. Herein, CWS values for all priority classes including priority class 3 are increased to the next higher values (e.g., 7, 15, 31, and 31) (among defined values).

4.3 Method for Setting Z Value for CWS Adjustment

FIG. 29 is a view illustrating one of methods for setting a Z value for CWS adjustment.

FIG. 29 may be performed between steps S2770 and S2780 of FIG. 27.

Particularly, the procedure illustrated in FIG. 29 may be performed in order to determine a probability value Z of detecting the NACK state for CWS adjustment.

Referring to FIG. 29, an eNB may detect the DTX state from the HARQ-ACK information received in step S2770 (S2910).

The DTX state may be used in a different manner depending on whether an SF or Tx burst corresponding to the HARQ-ACK information has been scheduled by SCS or CCS (S2920).

If the eNB has performed scheduling by SCS, the eNB may count the DTX state as NACK (S2930 a).

On the other hand, if the eNB has performed scheduling by CCS, the eNB may not count the DTX state as NACK. That is, the eNB uses only an explicit NACK state in calculating a Z value (S2930 b).

The eNB may interpret a received DTX state differently according to SCS or CCS. That is, the eNB calculates a Z value by counting the received DTX state as NACK in SCS, and does not use the received DTX state in CWS adjustment in CCS (S2940).

The eNB may adjust the CWS based on the calculated Z value (S2780).

4.4 Method for Applying CWS

Now, a description will be given of methods for applying an adjusted CWS, when the CWS is adjusted in the above-described method. For the convenience of description, the following embodiments are based on the assumption that for a DL transmission, a transmission node is an eNB and a reception node is a UE. However, the same thing applies to a case where for a UL transmission, a transmission node is a UE and a reception node is an eNB.

4.4.1 Same Backoff Algorithm Applied to UEs

In the process of changing a CWS and drawing a backoff count N within the changed CWS, the eNB may perform a backoff algorithm (e.g., CAP or CS) with one CWS and one backoff count all the time irrespective of a UE to which the eNB is to transmit DL data.

4.4.2 Different Backoff Algorithm Applied to Each UE

However, only some of a plurality of UEs to receive a DL signal may suffer from severe interference from adjacent WiFi or LTE nodes, whereas the other UEs may not be interfered much. In consideration of this situation, the eNB may use a different CWS value for each UE (or each HARQ process). Herein, the CWS may be updated in the methods according to the afore-described embodiments.

For example, it is assumed that the CWS is 16 commonly for both of UE1 and UE2. If the eNB receives a NACK for a DL signal transmitted to UE1 and an ACK for a DL signal transmitted to UE2, the eNB may increase the CWS for UE1 and decrease the CWS for UE2. Even though the eNB configures a different CWS for each UE (or HARQ process), the eNB may perform a backoff algorithm by setting the same or different backoff count for each UE (or HARQ process).

4.4.2.1 Method for Setting Different Backoff Count for Each UE

Now, a description will be given of a method for setting a different backoff count for each UE (or HARQ process).

For example, it is assumed that when a CWS configured for UE1 is 16 and a CWS configured for UE2 is 32, backoff counts for UE1 and UE2 are 4 and 10, respectively. Each time a channel is in the idle state, the eNB may decrease the backoff counts for both UE1 and UE2 by 1. Then, if the backoff count for at least one UE becomes 0, the eNB may start a Tx burst transmission.

In another aspect of this embodiment, the eNB may maintain the backoff counts for the UEs without decreasing the backoff counts during the Tx burst transmission. Herein, a DL signal transmission may be allowed for other UEs as well as a UE with a backoff count being 0 in the Tx burst the transmission of which has started.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, the eNB may decrease the backoff counts for the UEs during the Tx burst transmission. During the Tx burst transmission, nodes neighboring to the transmitting eNB may not attempt transmission, considering that the channel is in the busy state due to the transmission of the eNB. Therefore, the eNB may decrease the backoff counts, assuming that the channel is in the idle state during the Tx burst transmission.

Even in this case, a DL signal transmission may be allowed for other UEs as well as a UE with a backoff count being 0 in the Tx burst the transmission of which has started. Or a transmitting UE may be restricted to a UE with a backoff count being 0 in the Tx burst the transmission of which has started. This may also be extended to a case where the eNB is receiving a UL signal.

For example, if the eNB determines that a scheduled UE is transmitting a signal in an SF scheduled for UL signal transmission, the eNB performs CCA (CAP, LBT, or the like) except for the corresponding signal. On the other hand, if the eNB determines that the scheduled UE is not transmitting a signal, the eNB performs CCA in the conventional manner Herein, if the channel is determined to be in the idle state as a result of the CCA, the eNB may decrease backoff counts for UEs to which DL signals are to be transmitted.

4.4.4 Method for Performing Backoff Algorithm UE-Commonly

The eNB may perform a backoff algorithm UE-commonly. For example, even though different CWSs are set for different UEs as in the case where the CWSs configured for UE1 and UE2 are 16 and 32, respectively, the eNB may use the same backoff count. Herein, the eNB may select one of a plurality of UEs and select a random backoff count, using the CWS of the selected UE.

The eNB may select a UE having the largest CWS or a UE having the lowest MCS level. The reason for selecting a UE having the largest CWS is that a UE having the smallest CWS may not support CWSs for priority classes.

4.5 Method for Transmitting Different Types of Signals

In the case where a signal such as a Discovery Reference Signal (DRS) used for channel measurement is transmitted in an unlicensed band and/or the case where different priority levels are assigned to UEs due to different service requirements of the UEs, at least one of the following LBT parameters (CAP parameters, CS parameters, or the like) may be set to have a different value for different types of transmission signals and/or UEs, in order to give channel access priority. The different types of transmission signals may include a reservation signal, a discovery signal, an RS, data, control information, and so on.

(1) A slot length for which initial CCA (or initial CAP) is performed.

(2) A defer duration, in the case where after a channel is determined to be busy before Extended CCA (ECCA) or extended CAP or during ECCA, and then to be idle during a defer period, ECCA is performed again.

(3) A slot length for which ECCA is performed.

(4) A minimum CW value: CWmin

(5) A maximum CW value: CWmax

For example, at least one of the above values for an LBT operation for DRS transmission may be set to be smaller than for an LBT operation for DL data transmission.

In another example, if different priority levels are assigned to UEs, at least one of the above values may be set to be smaller for an LBT operation for a DL data transmission to a UE(s) having a higher priority level than for an LBT operation for a DL data transmission to a UE(s) having a lower priority level.

In another example, at least one of the above values may be set to be smaller for an LBT operation for a retransmission than for an LBT operation for an initial transmission. When a UE manages HARQ buffers, if an L-cell HARQ buffer and a U-cell HARQ buffer are shared, it may be preferred that the UE fast flushes the U-cell HARQ buffer, thereby increasing an available HARQ buffer size for the L-cell (in consideration of an HARQ operation being more stable in the L-cell).

Further, when the UE receives DL data in lots of U-cells which are carrier-aggregated, it may also be preferred that the UE fast flushes the HARQ buffer, thereby increasing an available HARQ buffer size for another cell (e.g., L-cell).

One of methods for fast flushing an HARQ buffer is to configure a backoff procedure for a retransmission to be completed faster than a backoff procedure for an initial transmission.

Another method for fast flushing an HARQ buffer is to configure a UE to flush data stored in the HARQ buffer for a time period equal to or longer than a specific timer value. The timer value may be predetermined or indicated by higher-layer signaling or physical-layer signaling.

In another method for fast flushing an HARQ buffer, the eNB may command flush of the HARQ buffer by DCI. For example, the eNB may command every UE receiving common DCI or UE group-common DCI to flush an HARQ buffer of every HARQ process received from a corresponding cell (or an HARQ process predetermined or configured by higher-layer signaling) by the common DCI or UE group-common DCI. Or, the eNB may command flush of an HARQ buffer of every HARQ process received from a corresponding cell (or a specific HARQ process indicated by DCI, or an HARQ process predetermined or configured by higher-layer signaling) by UE-specific DCI.

As in the above-described method, different LBT parameters may be set for different types of signals. For example, a first type of signal is a (self-scheduled) UL grant or DL grant signal. In other words, the eNB may set all or a part of the above LBT parameters to be small for LBT for transmission of a Tx burst including only a UL grant or DL grant, compared to LBT for any other transmission. In embodiments of the present disclosure, an SF including only a UL grant refers to an SF carrying a PDCCH and/or an EPDCCH without a PDSCH.

An SF carrying a PDCCH and/or an EPDCCH without a PDSCH may be used for the purpose of a (SCS or CCS) UL grant. Or an SF carrying a PDCCH and/or an EPDCCH without a PDSCH may be used for transmission of an RS such as CRS/CSI-RS/DM-RS (for tracking). Or, an SF carrying a PDCCH and/or an EPDCCH without a PDSCH may be used for transmission of a general PDCCH (including control information indicating the length of the corresponding SF or next SF, or control information broadcast to UEs).

[Table 18] below lists the number m of CCA slots in a defer period, a minimum CWS, CWmin,p, a maximum CWS, CWmax,p, and a maximum channel occupancy time Tmcot, for each LBT priority class.

For example, it may be configured that LBT is performed using an LBT parameter for a specific channel access priority class (e.g., channel access priority class 1) for an SF carrying a PDCCH and/or an EPDCCH without a PDSCH.

Or, it may be configured that CW_(min,p) or CW_(max,p) smaller than that of channel access priority class 1 is defined, and LBT is performed using the corresponding value for an SF carrying a PDCCH and/or an EPDCCH without a PDSCH.

Or, it may be configured that once a channel is determined to be idle for a time period of about 25 μs without a CWS, that is, a random backoff, LBT allowing a transmission (e.g., LBT defined for DRS transmission) is used.

TABLE 18 Channel Access Priority Class (p) m_(p) CW_(min,p) CW_(max,p) T_(mcot,p) allowed CW_(p) sizes 1 1 3 7 2 ms {3, 7} 2 1 7 15 3 ms {7, 15} 3 3 15 63 8 or 10 ms {15, 31, 63} 4 7 15 1023 8 or 10 ms {15, 31, 63, 127, 255, 511, 1023}

The above methods of setting different LBT parameters for different types of signals and performing LBT to transmit different types of signals may be applied to the embodiments described in Section 4.4.1 to Section 4.4.3.

For example, when an LBT operation (i.e., CAP) is performed to transmit DRS and DL data, a backoff count for DRS and a backoff count for DL data may be set separately as in the embodiment of Section 4.4.2.1. Herein, if at least one of the two backoff counts becomes 0, the eNB may start a Tx burst transmission and transmit both DRS and DL data in the corresponding Tx burst.

In another example, if there are two sets of UEs distinguished by priority levels, the eNB may perform LBT by selecting a backoff count, using only the minimum (maximum or both) of the CWSs of the two sets.

In view of the nature of an unlicensed band, if a DRS is not transmitted during one Discovery signal Measurement Timing Configuration (DMTC) period due to LBT failure, tens of ms should be waited until the next DMTC period. Thus, an LBT operation for DRS (without DL data) should have a high channel occupancy probability relative to an LBT operation for DL data.

For example, once the channel is determined to be idle (i.e., without a random backoff) only during a specific sensing interval, transmission of a DL Tx burst including DRS (herein, a DL Tx burst means a continuous signal transmission unit) may be allowed. Further, if the channel is determined to be idle only during one sensing interval out of a total sensing period including a plurality of sensing intervals, the eNB may transmit a DL Tx burst including DRS to increase a transmission probability.

FIG. 30 is a view illustrating a sensing interval for performing LBT.

In FIG. 30, it is assumed that an eNB is to transmit DRS in SF #N and a total sensing period includes three sensing intervals. Since the eNB determines a channel to be busy during the first sensing interval but determines the channel to be idle during the second sensing interval, the eNB may transmit DRS. However, because the LBT operation (CCA or CAP) is completed before the starting boundary of SF #N, the eNB may transmit a reservation signal during the remaining period.

If an LBT operation for transmission of DRS in SF #N and an LBT operation for transmission of a PDSCH are performed simultaneously, the LBT operation for DRS is completed first since the eNB determines the channel to be idle in slot #2 (even though a backoff count for the PDSCH approaches 0). Thus, the eNB may transmit only the DRS without the PDSCH, freezing the backoff count for the PDSCH. However, even though the channel is determined to be idle in slot #2, if the eNB holds DRS transmission and determines the channel to be idle in slot #3 as a result of CCA, the backoff count for the PDSCH becomes 0, and thus the eNB may transmit the PDSCH and the DRS simultaneously, thereby increasing DL data transmission performance. That is, in the case where the LBT operation for DRS and the LBT operation of a PDSCH are performed simultaneously, even though a DRS backoff count becomes ‘0’ and thus the channel is determined to be idle, the eNB may hold the DRS transmission only if the PDSCH backoff count may become 0 during the remaining period of the total sensing period.

For example, if a backoff count may be decreased by X when the channel is idle during a remaining sensing period, and the PDSCH backoff count is Y, the DRS transmission may be held only when X−Y<T. Herein, T may be set to be different according to the remaining sensing period. For example, as the remaining sensing period is shorter, T may be set to a smaller value.

Even though an SF carrying only DRS without a PDSCH is a partial SF (pSF), the SF may be configured to carry a (periodic) CSI-RS and/or a CSI-IM, which is allocated for channel measurement. For example, even though SF #0 or SF #5 carrying only DRS without a PDSCH is a pSF, SF #0 or SF #5 may be configured to carry a (periodic) CSI-RS and/or a CSI-IM, which is allocated for channel measurement.

In other words, even though an SF other than SF #0 or SF #5, carrying only DRS without a PDSCH is a pSF, the SF may not be configured to carry a (periodic) CSI-RS and/or a CSI-IM, which is allocated for channel measurement. Particularly, if an SF carrying only DRS without a PDSCH is a pSF including 12 OFDM symbols, the (periodic) CSI-RS and/or CSI-IM transmission method may be applied.

For example, for a pSF including 12 OFDM symbols (carrying only DRS without a PDSCH), a UE may consider that the pSF does not include a (periodic) CSI-RS and/or CSI-IM supposed to be transmitted in the last 2 OFDM symbols of the corresponding SF.

As in the foregoing embodiments, different LBT parameters may be set according to QoS, UEs, channel types (e.g., whether a Tx burst includes only a UL grant), or the like. The eNB may perform LBT operations for N QoS levels (UEs or channels) by multiple engines. In this case, this may be applied to the embodiments described in Section 4.4.1 to Section 4.4.3.

For example, multi-engine LBT operations may be performed by sharing the same CWS or setting CWSs individually. Herein, a random backoff count N may be changed according to actual transmission DL data in each Tx burst.

First, in the case where the same CWS is shared for different types of signals, when a CWS update event proposed in the afore-described embodiments is triggered, or a triggering event occurs for at least one (n or more, or all) of N QoS levels (UEs or channels), the eNB may increase or decrease the CWS.

In another method, if CWSs are individually set for different types of signals, the eNB may select a representative CWS for each Tx burst and draw a random backoff count based on the selected representative CWS. Herein, it may be defined that the largest or smallest of N CWSs is selected as a representative CWS.

4.6 Relationship between Tx Burst Lengths and CWSs

The eNB may transmit a Tx burst by setting the length of the Tx burst irrespective of a CWS. According to LBE Option B in ETSI EN 301 893 V1.8.1 specification, however, it is defined that as a CWS is larger, a maximum Tx burst length may be set to be larger. For details, refer to [Table 19] below. [Table 20] illustrates a calculated relationship between q values and maximum channel occupancy times of a Tx burst.

TABLE 19 <ETSI EN 301 893 V1.8.1 (2015-03)> Option B 1) Before a transmission or a burst or transmissions on an Operating Channel, the equipment shall perform a Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) check using “energy detect”. The equipment shall observe the perating Channel(s) for the duration of the CCA observation time which shall be not less than 20 μs. The CCA observation time used by the equipment shall be declared by the manufacturer. The Operating Channel shall be considered occupied if the energy level in the channel exceeds the threshold corresponding to the power level given in point 5) below. If the equipment finds the channel to be clear, it may transmit immediately (see point 3) below). 2) If the equipment finds an Operating Channel occupied, it shall not transmit in that channel. The equipment shall perform an Extended CCA check in which the Operating Channel is observed for the duration (observation period) of a random factor N multiplied by the CCA observation time. N defines the number or unoccupied idle slots resulting in a total Idle Period that needs to be observed before initiation of the transmission. The value of N shall be randomly selected in the range 1 to q every time an Extended CCA is required and the value stored in a counter. The value of q is selected by the manufacturer in the range 4 to 32. This selected value shall be declared by the manufacturer (see clause 5.3.1 q)). The counter is deeremented every time a CCA slot is considered to be “unoccupied”. When the counter reaches zero, the equipment may transmit. The equipment is allowed to continue Short Control Signalling Transmissions on this channel providing it complies with the requirements in clause 4.8.3.3. For equipment having simultaneous transmissions on multiple (adjacent or non-adjacent) operating channels, the equipment is allowed to continue transmissions on other Operating Channels providing the CCA check did not detect any signals on those channels. 3) The total time that an equipment makes use of an Operating Channel is the Maximum Channel Occupancy Time which shall be less than (13/32) × q ms, with q as defined in point 2) above, after which the device shall perform the Extended CCA described in point 2) above.

TABLE 20 q value 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 . . . 32 Maximum 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 640 contention time for 20-μsec ECCA slot length Maximum 1.63 2.03 2.44 2.84 3.25 3.66 4.06 4.47 13 channel occupancy time(ms)

The eNB may set a CWS and a maximum Tx burst length based on a q value and a maximum channel occupancy time as illustrated in [Table 20]. For example, in the case where an ECCA slot length is set to 9 μsec, maximum Tx burst lengths are calculated according to CWSs as illustrated in [Table 21]. In [Table 21], if a CWS is 128 or larger, a q value calculated for the ECCA slot length of 9 μsec is larger than 32. The ETSI regulates a maximum q value to 32 and thus all q values may be considered to be 32 in this case.

TABLE 21 CWS 16 32 64 128 256 512 1024 Maximum 16*9 = 144 32*9 = 288 64*9 = 576 128*9 = 1152 256*9 = 2304 512*9 = 4608 1024*9 = 9216 contention time for 9-μsec ECCA slot length q value 144/20 = 7.2 288/20 = 14.4 576/20 = 28.8 32 32 32 32 calculated for 20-μsec ECCA slot Maximum 7.2*13/32 = 2.925 14.4*13/32 = 5.85 28.8*13/32 = 11.7 13 13 13 13 channel occupancy time(ms)

In a CWS applying method, a different CWS may be set for each UE (or HARQ process). For example, if the eNB maintains backoff counts for UEs unchanged during a Tx burst transmission, the eNB may set a Tx burst length based on the CWS of a UE with a backoff count being ‘0’ in the Tx burst which has started to be transmitted. If as the backoff counts of a plurality of UEs become 0 at the same time, a Tx burst starts, the eNB may set the length of the Tx burst based on the maximum of the CWSs of the UEs.

In another embodiment, if the eNB may decrease backoff counts for UEs during transmission of a Tx burst, the eNB may limit the length of the Tx burst according to the CWS on a UE basis. For example, if a maximum Tx burst length starting in SF #N for UE1 is 3 ms and a maximum Tx burst length starting in SF #N+1 for UE2 is 4 ms, the eNB may configure a Tx burst spanning from SF #N to SF #N+5. That is, the eNB may transmit a DL signal to UE1 in SF #N to SF #N+3 and a DL signal to UE2 in SF #N+1 to SF #N+5.

Herein, the maximum length of a Tx burst transmitted by the eNB may be limited. For example, if the afore-described ETSI regulation restricts a maximum length of a continuous transmission on a channel occupied once to 4 ms, the eNB may be allowed to transmit a DL signal only in SF #N to SF #N+4 in the above other embodiment.

The methods for setting different Tx bursts for different CWSs on a UE basis (or on an HARQ process basis) according to the foregoing embodiments may easily be applied to a case where different CWSs are set for different types of signals. For example, if a DRS CWS and a DL data CWS are different but a DRS backoff count and a DL data backoff count become 0 at the same time, the length of a Tx burst may be set based on the maximum of the CWSs of the corresponding types of signals.

In another example, if there are two sets of UEs distinguished by priority levels, different CWSs may be set for the respective sets. If two backoff counts become 0 simultaneously, the length of a Tx burst may be set based on the maximum of CWSs for the sets.

As in the foregoing embodiments, different LBT parameters may be set for different types of signals (or signals of different priority classes) (e.g., for UEs having different service requirements, HARQ processes having different service requirements, different QoS classes, and different DL channels). For example, if four priority classes are defined as illustrated in [Table 22], different maximum and minimum CWSs, different defer durations, and different Tx burst lengths may be set according to the priority classes. In [Table 22] below, a random backoff count N means the number of CCA slots in a defer period.

TABLE 22 Priority class CWmin CWmax N Tx burst length 1 3 7 1  2 ms 2 7 15 1  3 ms 3 15 63 3 10 ms 4 15 1023 7 20 ms

The eNB may determine an LBT priority class according to the length of a Tx burst to be transmitted. For example, if the length of a Tx burst to be transmitted by the eNB is 4 ms, transmission of the Tx burst is allowed for priority class 3 and priority class 4. Herein, the eNB may be configured to perform LBT using CWmin, CWmax, and N corresponding to the lowest (or highest) priority class, LBT priority class 4 (or LBT priority class 3).

4.7 Method for Updating CWS Based on eNB Sensing

In backoff schemes used in the afore-described carrier sensing methods called LBT, CS, CCA, or CAP, a CWS is controlled using UE feedback information such as an HARQ ACK/NACK.

However, considering that a time delay of 4 ms is involved between a PDSCH reception time and an ACK/NACK transmission time at a UE unlike a WiFi system, the UE feedback-based CWS control scheme may not be efficient. To avert this problem, methods for controlling a CWS based on a CS result without receiving a feedback from a UE by an eNB will be proposed below.

Largely, if the eNB determines that a channel is in the idle state during a predetermined time period (e.g., W-CCA slots) or longer in an observation window (e.g., W CCA slots), the eNB may decrease a CWS. If the eNB determines that the channel is not in the idle state during a predetermined time period (e.g., W+CCA slots) or longer, the eNB may increase the CWS. Herein, the eNB may set the CWS to W-?W+?W.

Or, the CWS may be adjusted by comparing the ratio between idle periods and busy periods or the ratio between the idle or busy periods and observation periods with a threshold. Or, the eNB may adjust the CWS in consideration of the ratio between a (current, minimum, or maximum) CWS and a period or the number of CCA slots during which the eNB observes the channel until a randomly generated backoff count becomes ‘0’.

For example, if the ratio between the current CWS and the number of CCA slots during which the eNB observes the channel until the randomly generated backoff count becomes ‘0’ (or the number of idle periods+the number of busy periods, or the number of idle periods or busy periods) is equal to or larger than a threshold, the eNB may increase the CWS, and otherwise, the eNB may decrease the CWS.

Or, the eNB may adjust the CWS based on a comparison or ratio between the randomly generated backoff count and the number of slots used until the randomly generated backoff count becomes ‘0’ (or the number of idle periods+the number of busy periods, or the number of idle periods or busy periods).

More specifically, in embodiments of the present disclosure, idle periods, busy periods, and observation periods may be calculated only in consideration of periods or CCA slots during which a channel is actually observed except for a period during which the eNB does not measure or discontinues measuring actual channel reception power due to transmission of a DL burst or for other reasons, or a period during which the eNB intentionally maintains a backoff count in a CCA slot in which the eNB determines the channel to be idle.

For example, an idle period may include only a period during which the eNB determines the channel to be idle by carrier sensing and actually decreases a backoff count, and a busy period may include only a period during which the channel is determined to be busy by carrier sensing. In addition, an observation period may include only a period during which the eNB determines the channel to be idle by carrier sensing and actually decreases a backoff count and a period during which the channel is determined to be busy by carrier sensing. Or the observation period may be calculated by excluding a period during which a backoff count is not decreased after the channel is determined to be idle by carrier sensing or a period during which carrier sensing is not performed.

In embodiments of the present disclosure, a busy period may refer to one CCA slot interval in which the channel is determined to be actually busy. Or the busy period may refer to a busy interval between two idle CCA slots. For example, K which is increased after a defer period may be 1 or the number of CCA slots in which the channel is determined to be busy in FIG. 31. This CWS update operation may be performed continuously while the eNB does not perform a DL transmission, or may be performed once each time the eNB attempts a DL transmission by a random backoff. The updated CWS may be applied to the next DL transmission.

FIG. 31 is a view illustrating a CWS update method based on eNB sensing.

Referring to FIG. 31, the CWS update procedure based on eNB sensing largely includes an initial CCA procedure and an ECCA procedure.

In the initial CCA procedure, if the eNB determines a channel to be in the idle state during slots for initial CCA, the eNB may start a DL transmission. If the eNB determines the channel to be in the busy state as a result of the CCA, the eNB performs ECCA. If the eNB succeeds in the initial CCA, the eNB may maintain or decrease an existing CWS.

To perform the ECCA procedure, the eNB selects a random integer (backoff count) from a range of [0, CWmin−1] or [1, CWmin], and sets an observation window by a value derived from CWmin. For example, the observation window may be determined to be A*CWmin+B or A*(CWmin+B). Herein, if A=2 and B=0, the eNB sets an observation window of size 2*CWmin Herein, it may be considered that A=1 and B=a size close to a defer period (e.g., ceiling{defer period/unit time}).

If the channel is in the idle state during a defer period, the eNB may start to decrease the backoff count. If the channel is in the idle state during ECCA slots, the eNB may decrease the backoff count. If the channel is busy during the ECCA slots, the eNB may decrease the backoff count again after the channel is in the idle state during the defer period. If the backoff count N becomes 0, the eNB may start transmission of a Tx burst.

However, if the backoff count does not become ‘0’ during a time period equal to observation window*unit time (e.g., unit time=9 μs), the eNB may increase the CWS and set an observation window by a value derived from the increased CWS. Further, the eNB may perform a backoff operation by selecting a new random integer (backoff count) from a range of [0, CWmin−1] or [1, CWmin]. If the backoff count does not become 0 during an “increased observation window (e.g., A*CW+B)”*unit time, the eNB increases the CWS again.

If the CWS has reached CWmax, the eNB may reset the CWS to CWmin or maintain the CWS to be CWmax. If the Tx burst transmission started due to the backoff count becoming 0 is completed, the eNB starts with the ECCA operation and sets the CWS to the initial value CWmin

If the backoff count does not become ‘0’ during the observation window*unit time in the above-described eNB sensing-based CWS control algorithm, the eNB may not adjust the CWS immediately. For example, even though the backoff count does not become 0 during the observation window*unit time, the eNB may continue the backoff procedure. If the backoff count becomes 0, the eNB may start a transmission, sets an observation window by applying an increased CWS during an LBT operation for transmission of the next data packet, and select a backoff count. If the backoff count becomes 0 during the observation window*unit time, the eNB may decrease the CWS.

As described above, even though the eNB does not have actual transmission data, the eNB may perform the backoff operation. This eNB operation may be referred to as post random backoff. Even though the post random backoff operation is performed (i.e., a case in which the random backoff count becomes ‘0’), the eNB may not still have transmission data. In this case, the eNB may maintain the CWS without CWS control. This is because it is not preferred that the eNB increases or decreases the CWS by reflecting a channel situation for a random backoff procedure without attempting an actual transmission. In other words, the eNB may be configured to control a CWS only when the eNB transmits actual data after the random backoff count becomes ‘0’.

In the above eNB sensing-based CWS control algorithm, an observation window may be related to the number of SF boundaries, slot boundaries, or OFDM symbol boundaries. For example, if a backoff count does not become ‘0’ during n SF boundaries (e.g., n=2) after ECCA starts, the eNB may be configured to increase the CWS.

The foregoing embodiments described in Sections 4.1.2 and 4.1.3 may be applied to the eNB sensing-based CWS adjustment method of this embodiment. For example, as in the embodiments described in Section 4.1.2, the eNB may decrease a CWS in the absence of a DL Tx burst transmission during T_valid.

In another example, if a TB is dropped, the eNB may decrease a CWS as in the embodiment described in Section 4.1.3. Or if N1 or more TBs are dropped, the eNB may decrease the CWS. Or, if N1 or more TBs are dropped (within T2) or CWmax is used in N2 consecutive LBT operations, the eNB may decrease the CWS. Or, if CWmax is used N3 or more times in an LBT procedure for transmission of a DL Tx burst including a dropped TB, the eNB may decrease the CWS.

4.9. Method for Setting Defer Period

FIG. 32 is a view illustrating a method for setting a defer period.

Referring to FIG. 32, defer periods may be defined for both an initial CCA period and an ECCA period. If determining that a channel is idle in one slot during the initial CCA period, the eNB may start transmission of a Tx burst only after determining that the channel is idle additionally during the defer period. On the other hand, once it is determined that a slot is busy in the ECCA period, the eNB may decrease a backoff count after determining that the channel is idle during the defer period.

In one aspect of this embodiment, on the assumption that a defer period is set to protect a signal in an unlicensed band, such as a WiFi ACK, the eNB may have to monitor a channel state longer during the initial CCA period than during the ECCA period. To supplement this, a defer period may be set to be shorter for the initial CCA period than for the ECCA period. For example, the defer period of the initial CCA period may be set to be shorter than the defer period of the ECCA period by about one slot length (e.g., 9 μs).

Referring to FIG. 32, if it is necessary to transmit a Tx burst in the initial CCA procedure, the eNB determines whether a channel of an unlicensed band is idle. If the channel is idle, the eNB further determines whether the channel is idle during a defer period. If the channel is idle, the eNB transmits a Tx burst.

If the channel of the unlicensed band is busy in the initial CCA procedure, the eNB may perform the ECCA procedure. For this purpose, the eNB selects a backoff count within a CW period of [0, q−1]. The eNB monitors whether the channel is idle during a defer period and determines whether the channel is idle until the backoff count becomes 0. If the channel is busy with the backoff count being a non-zero value, the eNB again monitors whether the channel is idle during the defer period, and performs the CCA procedure until the backoff count becomes 0. Further, the eNB may adjust a CWS by dynamic backoff or semi-static backoff based on ACK/NACK information.

5. Apparatuses

Apparatuses illustrated in FIG. 33 are means that can implement the methods described before with reference to FIGS. 1 to 32.

A UE may act as a transmission end on a UL and as a reception end on a DL. An eNB may act as a reception end on a UL and as a transmission end on a DL.

That is, each of the UE and the eNB may include a Transmitter (Tx) 3340 or 3350 and a Receiver (Rx) 3360 or 3370, for controlling transmission and reception of information, data, and/or messages, and an antenna 3300 or 3310 for transmitting and receiving information, data, and/or messages.

Each of the UE and the eNB may further include a processor 3320 or 3330 for implementing the afore-described embodiments of the present disclosure and a memory 3380 or 3390 for temporarily or permanently storing operations of the processor 3320 or 3330.

The embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented using the afore-described components and functions of the UE and the eNB. For example, the processor of the eNB may perform CAP (CS, CAA, or the like) by controlling the transmitter and the receiver in order to determine whether an LAA cell is in an idle state. Herein, the processor may set and apply different CAP parameters for different CAPs for transmitting different signals. For details, refer to Section 1 to Section 4.

The Tx and Rx of the UE and the eNB may perform a packet modulation/demodulation function for data transmission, a high-speed packet channel coding function, OFDM packet scheduling, TDD packet scheduling, and/or channelization. Each of the UE and the eNB of FIG. 33 may further include a low-power Radio Frequency (RF)/Intermediate Frequency (IF) module.

Meanwhile, the UE may be any of a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular phone, a Personal Communication Service (PCS) phone, a Global System for Mobile (GSM) phone, a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) phone, a Mobile Broadband System (MBS) phone, a hand-held PC, a laptop PC, a smart phone, a Multi Mode-Multi Band (MM-MB) terminal, etc.

The smart phone is a terminal taking the advantages of both a mobile phone and a PDA. It incorporates the functions of a PDA, that is, scheduling and data communications such as fax transmission and reception and Internet connection into a mobile phone. The MB-MM terminal refers to a terminal which has a multi-modem chip built therein and which can operate in any of a mobile Internet system and other mobile communication systems (e.g. CDMA 2000, WCDMA, etc.).

Embodiments of the present disclosure may be achieved by various means, for example, hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof.

In a hardware configuration, the methods according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may be achieved by one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), Digital Signal Processing Devices (DSPDs), Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, etc.

In a firmware or software configuration, the methods according to the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in the form of a module, a procedure, a function, etc. performing the above-described functions or operations. A software code may be stored in the memory 3380 or 3390 and executed by the processor 3320 or 3330. The memory is located at the interior or exterior of the processor and may transmit and receive data to and from the processor via various known means.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present disclosure may be carried out in other specific ways than those set forth herein without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the present disclosure. The above embodiments are therefore to be construed in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the disclosure should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, not by the above description, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that claims that are not explicitly cited in each other in the appended claims may be presented in combination as an embodiment of the present disclosure or included as a new claim by a subsequent amendment after the application is filed.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present disclosure is applicable to various wireless access systems including a 3GPP system, a 3GPP2 system, and/or an IEEE 802.xx system. Besides these wireless access systems, the embodiments of the present disclosure are applicable to all technical fields in which the wireless access systems find their applications. 

1. A method of transmitting a downlink signal to a use equipment (UE) by a base station (BS) in a wireless access system supporting an unlicensed band, the method comprising: performing a first channel access procedure (CAP) for a transmission of a first type signal; and transmitting the first type signal based on the first CAP, wherein at least one first parameter of the first CAP is configured to a smaller value than second parameters of a second CAP for a transmission of a second type signal different from the first type signal, wherein the first type signal is one of an uplink grant signal, a reference signal, or a common physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) signal.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second type signal comprises a data signal.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first parameters for the first CAP are determined to be parameters for a specific channel access priority class.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first parameters for the first CAP are determined to be parameters for a channel access priority class having a value of
 1. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first parameters or the second parameters comprise at least a defer period parameter indicating a length of a defer period, a parameter indicating a minimum contention window size, and a parameter indicating a maximum contention window size.
 6. A base station (BS) for transmitting a downlink signal to a user equipment (UE) in a wireless access system supporting an unlicensed band, the BS comprising: a transmitter; a receiver; and a processor operably coupled with the transmitter and the receiver and configured to: perform a first channel access procedure (CAP) for a transmission of a first type signal; and transmit the first type signal based on the first CAP, wherein at least one first parameter of the first CAP is configured to a smaller value than second parameters of a second CAP for a transmission of a second type signal different from the first type signal, wherein the first type signal is one of an uplink grant signal, a reference signal, or a common physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) signal.
 7. The BS of claim 6, wherein the second type signal comprises a data signal.
 8. The BS of claim 6, wherein the first parameters for the first CAP are determined to be parameters for a specific channel access priority class.
 9. The BS of claim 8, wherein the first parameters for the first CAP are determined to be parameters for a channel access priority class having a value of
 1. 10. The BS of claim 6, wherein the first parameters or the second parameters comprise at least a defer period parameter indicating a length of a defer period, a parameter indicating a minimum contention window size, and a parameter indicating a maximum contention window size. 